Chapter 6 – Bond

.

Part 1

「Are you serious?」

I am facing Mylene-sama inside a private room.

I who succeeded in securing a meeting with Mylene-sama earnestly requested her that I wanted to be given the right of command.

Of course, Mylene-sama’s expression is in complete exasperation.

It’s insane to make a student into the supreme commander, it can’t be helped that she is suspecting the sanity of me who is asking for such thing.

「I’m serious. I want the right of command. Can you please give it to me?」

Mylene-sama’s expression is very calm. Her usual loveliness has gone from it.

「Your reputation, and also your achievement are just too lacking. If I recommend you, my sanity will be cast into doubt.」

「This is for the sake of winning. We’re going to lose as we are currently. If you refuse then I’ll just run away. ──Or do you have someone else in mind who can be entrusted with that position?」

Right now there was no one in this country who had the capability to face Fanoss Principality──along with the gigantic monster.

Mylene-sama turned her face down hearing that I’ll run away and

「So the dues of our deed until now has finally arrived.」 She muttered.

「His majesty and others are planning to charge at the main force of the principality. They intend to ignore the gigantic monster and make the battle a brief one.」

「They won’t be able to even get near like that. They’ll just get annihilated.」

「Leon-kun, you cannot solve everything with just ability. For example, even if you’re much more wonderful and capable compared to that kind of his majesty, the people will still trust his majesty more. People are like that. No one will recognize you even if you’re given the position as the supreme commander.」

The way she spoke about his majesty contained thorn inside, but I pay it no mind and continued the negotiation.

Unexpectedly Mylene-sama’s evaluation of me in her mind is high. That makes me happy.

「We won’t win if this role is entrusted to someone else. The royal family’s ship is necessary. That ship has a special power isn’t it?」

Why do I know something like that? Mylene-sama’s face is asking that question, but I keep pressing the question on her and put my hand on the wall.

「Tsu! Yo, you know what kind of ship it is? That ship──」

「The driving force behind the founding of this kingdom. And then, it’s the trump card of the royal family. ──Am I right?」

「Yes, that’s right. It’s not something that can be lent out so easily. That’s, a Lost Item you know?」

It’s a different Lost Item than Luxion, but it’s needed no matter what.

I closed my distance with Mylene-sama even more.

「It’s necessary. Please lend it to me.」

「But, it won’t move. I and his majesty couldn’t make it move.」

「We will use his highness Julius and Marie. Please gather the other four too.」

「But, the saint──Marie is someone waiting for her execution.」

Marie is needed no matter what.

After Marie die, there is no guarantee that Livia will be appointed as the saint.

In that case, it’s necessary to take a certain method.

I’ll leave the job of moving the airship and displaying the power of the saint to Marie and others.

I can just make Livia board the ship together with her after that.

It’s allocation of role. That’s the only idea I have right now.

「Luxion, explain it to the queen.」

『Yes.』

Seeing Luxion appearing, Mylene-sama said 「This is──the familiar that was mentioned in the report?」  in surprise while watching him.

And then, the queen’s face goes pale hearing that there are two gigantic monsters moving from the sky and the sea to pincer attack the land.

「Is this true?」

『It’s a fact. There is more bad news, the communication signal is worsening a lot since the two’s appearance. If the enemy get near, we should consider that our communication will become practically disabled.』

The queen pressed her left hand on her face.

「The more I hear the more troublesome it become. Leon-kun, can you win.」

「I’ll win. In order to do that I’m asking for──」

「──The saint and the royal family’s ship. I see, that’s why you wish for the supreme commander position.」

Mylene-sama tightened her expression and stared at me.

「Marquis Frampton will raise objection if I speak of appointing you as the supreme commander. The currently biggest faction in the palace will turn into our enemy. Our ally will be few in number.」

When I turned my gaze to Luxion, his single eye nodded.

「No problem.」

「──Good grief, even though this is us reaping what we sow, if only the other knights are as loyal as you」

Loyal? I don’t have anything like that you know?

「By reaping what you sow, you mean?」

「It’s about the current situation where heavy burden is forced on the shoulder of a part of the males. I will tell you about it if you return back safely. Win and then return back no matter what. ──Do you understand?」

When I nodded, Mylene-sama’s face reddened and she coughed adorably.

「A, also, it’ll help if you back away slightly from me.」

Oops, right. After I took a step back, Mylene-sama took a deep breath before looking at me.

「I am also greatly indebted to Leon-kun. I’ll take care of necessary arrangements. But, your ally will be really few. The situation is like this, so I’ll be troubled if you’re holding hope for our fighting capability. Can you win even then?」

「It’s fine. Besides, I have prospect regarding the battle force.」

There’s no problem.

Right now is the time to use the power of bond called friendship.

.

Part 2

The capital was falling into great chaos.

The figures of nobles could also be found among the people trying to escape.

Lamentably, there were many nobles and knights running away together with their mistress, abandoning their duties. They wouldn’t deign to fight for the sake of this kind of kingdom.

By the way, speaking of their legal wives──their actual wives got left behind while they escaped.

My feeling is really complicated because I understood their reason completely.

I who returned from the palace to the academy am doubting my eyes seeing the situation that is different from usual.

「Wa, wait. Bring me together with you too!」

A girl is clinging to a man, but she got shaken off roughly. The man who did that is a heir of a frontier viscount.

「Don’t turn on me after this late. You were the one who was completely ignoring me.」

The male students who are leaving from the academy.

On the opposite is a rich viscount living in the capital clinging on a girl.

「You’re abandoning me!? Even though I have been supporting you financially so much like that!」

「Only death is waiting even if I’m staying here! If the capital is gone then the like of you is worthless!」

At this time of crisis, the position of people is reversed from the usual.

──This scene is sad, it doesn’t make me happy at all.

Luxion suggested to me.

『Master, this way. It seems everyone is gathering and discussing something.』

「It’s great that they’re still here. Luxion, you go to where Livia and Ange are. Save them no matter what! Also, give a call to my acquaintances while you’re at it.」

『I don’t mind but, will master be alright by yourself?』

It’s fine.

After all the friendship between me and everyone──Daniel, Raymond, and everyone is genuine!

「No need to worry. After all everyone will surely lend me their help.」

.

Part 3

「No, not a chance.」

「Yeah, not a chance.」

That place where my friends gathered is a classroom that is treated like storage.

It seems everyone is hiding here to escape from the girls who suddenly changed their attitude so easily like flipping their hand.

They’re killing time here waiting to be picked up by their house.

When I raised the topic of participating in the war, everyone said 「No way」 or 「Impossible」 like Daniel and Raymond and refused to lend their hand.

「What’re you guys planning!?」

「The kingdom’s army is practically annihilated. We can’t possibly fight a monster that destroyed nearly 200 ships so easily like that.」

Raymond’s calm judgment isn’t wrong.

「Leon, you should give up too. You were imprisoned with a false charge right? There isn’t any need to work so hard like that. If the kingdom lose, we simply need to obey the principality next.」

Daniel is also unmotivated.

The feudal lords who possessed floating island as their territory are basically only following the strong country.

If the kingdom lost, they would search for the next force to submit to.

The surrounding all had the same reaction.

「It’s just as you say. Ah, do you know? It seems that the male has the stronger position in the principality. Rather it’s the female there who’s anxious about marriage.」

「Really!? I’ll swear fealty to the principality!」

「Me too!」

──I understand their feeling so much it’s painful, but you guys should be more loyal!

No, I’m also not loyal though!

The reason my friends are calm is largely because their home isn’t at the main land but at floating island.

If they escaped to their home, then after that they would just need to wait for the storm to pass.

On the contrary, it’s the rich people who are normally acting overbearing who are in great panic right now.

Because their territory is in the main land or because they are palace noble, they’re put in a position where they cannot escape from the war.

Even so, they’re thinking to desert in the face of the enemy or changing side to the principality.

The powerful feudal lords cannot move because they’re fighting other countries other than the invading principality──or they’re unwilling to mobilize their face and decided to wait and see.

Anyway the state of affairs is terrible even though the kingdom is in danger.

Perhaps this is what the queen meant by the kingdom’s dues.

I took a deep breath inside the classroom that is filled with only guys.

The air felt stinky with these guys’ smell, even so I took out a document from my pocket and showed it to everyone.

「You guys, look at this.」

Raymond pushed up his glasses with his finger while checking the document.

「This is, the sale contract of airship? What about it?」

「You guys already received airship from me. I guess at this time you guys are training the crews for it at your territory right?」

Daniel nodded.

「That’s right. Everyone back home was happy that the airship is easy to handle and its specs are amazing.」

Everyone was rejoicing from obtaining wonderful battleship, but Raymond is the only one going pale.

「Leon, this is──」

「Right. The airship you guys have can only be serviced in the workshop at my home. Want to try bringing the ship to other workshop for a test? They won’t be able to service it perfectly. The airships are completely filled with new technology, one day it won’t be able to move if you’re shirking its maintenance.」

The contract is mentioning that the airship is also filled with a lot of unique technology, so the receiver should leave its maintenance to my house’s workshop.

Everyone began to panic knowing that the airship they finally manged to obtain would become unusable.

「I’ll fight the principality. What do you guys think’ll happen then? If I win then you guys’ll be indebted to me. Your ship’s fate’ll be essentially in my hand, you guys’ll live every day currying favor to me. Even if I lost it’ll still be disastrous. My house might also get destroyed. In that case you guys who’re connected to this me──do you think the principality’ll turn a blind eye to you guys?」

Everyone showered me with angry yell.

「That’s dirty!」

「Oi, hold down Leon here and then hand him over to Heltrude-san!」

「That person already got brought to the palace!」

I raised my voice and silenced everyone.

「Calm down you idiots! Do you guys really think the principality will accept your submission? The opponent is the principality. These guys are resenting this kingdom. If you’re unlucky then your territory’ll be taken away while you guys got treated like a slave.」

When everyone started considering that possibility, I addressed them kindly.

「Work together with me. It’s fine. You guys just need to hide behind me. If you survive, I’ll maintain your airship with discount price from here on. You guys will also become hero. Becoming a hero just from firing cannon from behind, where else you can find a good deal like this!」

Everyone is looking at me with vexed expression.

「Believe me. I’m fighting because it’s possible to win. I’m a man who only fight winnable battle.」

Everyone is showing understanding at my persuasion.

「No, now that you mention it」

「Certainly, Leon has gotten out of a lot of tough spots until now.」

「If that’s what Leon say then can we really win?」

Surely everyone is believing me because of my daily good behavior.

Daniel squeezed out his voice after pondering greatly.

「You’re, always unfair every time.」

「Oh, are you praising me? Don’t worry. That kind of unfair person is the ally of you guys. Reassuring right?」

Raymond scratched his hair roughly.

「It’s war with the principality for us thanks to that unfair person. This is the worst!」

Everyone gave up ─no, steeled themselves.

They said that they will follow me.

Do you see this principality!? This is the power of our friendship!

「Thank you everyone! Let’s stay friend forever from here on too!」

Everyone is glaring at me but I paid it no mind.

They’re yelling things like 「Don’t screw with me」 or 「This demon!」 or 「That contract is a trap as expected」.

Just this much grief is a trivial problem compared to challenging the last boss.

──Now then, let’s go to next.

.

Part 4

Luxion arrived at Livia’s room.

「Leon-san is going to fight the principality?」

Livia was shocked. In contrast Ange was utterly astonished.

「Even though he’s a viscount, I’ve never heard a student becoming the supreme commander. Is his majesty or his highness Julius going to become the general on the paper? Also what about the battle force?」

Luxion shook his single eye to left and right in negative.

『It seems the talk is ongoing to make master the supreme commander. At present, the battle force that we believe can be secured with certainty is Partner and around twenty ships. We don’t know how many ships the army will be able to prepare. We cannot expect anything from the temple’s battle strength.』

Ange looked up to the ceiling and placed her hand on her forehead.

「is he planning to challenge the principality with just that? What about the generals? The fleets of the feudal lords?」

『The kingdom’s army will depend of Mylene-sama’s arrangement. About the feudal lords, there’re a lot of countries other than the principality that also started attacking. Also, the feudal lords who have force to be sent out are deciding to wait and see.』

Livia looked at Ange.

「Why is that? Why won’t they help?」

「Livia, do you understand why the feudal lords are obeying the kingdom?」

「Err──it’s because they’re swearing loyalty to the kingdom isn’t it?」

「Wrong. It’s national force. Because there’s the difference in military strength that the feudal lords around the kingdom are submitting. That’s all. If that military strength become unreliable like now, they’ll turn traitor without batting an eyelid. Besides──the kingdom has been treating the feudal lords too coldly.」

「Eh?」

Luxion thought.

(As I thought, that’s the case. I thought that it’s strange. Master stop considering further thinking it’s because this is otome game world, but naturally that’s not the case.)

The duke house was a house with strong connection to the royal family.

The house’s way of thinking was leaning toward the kingdom, Ange’s perception toward the feudal lords──indicated how the royal family was looking at the feudal lords.

「The kingdom has worked so the feudal lords won’t grow stronger until now. There is this distorted marriage relationships right? It’s a part of that effort.」

Ange shook her head after saying that much.

And then she stood up.

「I’m going to meet father. Perhaps there is something that I can do to help. I too want to be of help to Leon.」

『Is that alright?』

Ange smiled.

「Leon said that he’ll do it. That’s because there is a chance to win right? ──I believe him.」

Livia looked slightly dejected, but then she stood up and moved to follow Ange.

Luxion guided the two.

『Then, let’s head to the palace. The duke is in the palace.』

Ange’s expression turned serious.

「Thanks. Let’s head there right away. Livia, what’re you going to do?」

「I’m also going!」

The two of them──and Luxion hurriedly headed toward the palace.

.

Part 5

At a floating island hovering near the capital, the traffic of the airships there is heavier than usual.

It’s also stuffed with a lot of people, it’s difficult to even walk.

At my destination, Nix──my big brother is waiting.

「Leon, you’re safe!」

Nix is rejoicing. Near him big sis──Jena could be seen.

「Did you escape from prison!?」

Near her is her exclusive servant Miall. His gaze darted around after seeing me.

「Nice timing. You get in too. Father came to pick us up.」

Big brother pointed at the airship father used to come here.

「Nice timing.」

I entered inside the airship and talked to a sailor.

「Where is father?」

「He’s at the bridge. Young master, what did you do this time?」

「It’s not me. Big sis’s cat eared slave over there is the one at fault. Don’t let him get in no matter what!」

The guy who betrayed me──he couldn’t be allowed to say beside big sis.

Big sis is making a ruckus, but I ignored her and rushed through the ship’s passageway.

When I entered the bridge, father is talking with the ship captain.

「Barkas-sama, a lot of the capital’s citizens are crowding here to evacuate.」

「Bring in the children as many as we can before sailing off! ──Hm? Leon!」

Father looked happy when he noticed me, but then his face immediately turned stern.

「You, what did you do this time! I heard you got thrown into jail!」

「My bad, father──help me out.」

「Haa? What are you──」

I explained the situation first. From the reason I got caught, there were really a lot of things──I also tattled about what that bastard Miall did.

Then father’s face is gradually turning pale──it made me pitied him a bit.

「You really are idiot.」

「I’ll also go out but, I want father to lend your strength too.」

「Why the hell you aren’t running away in this situation where running away is understandable. You’re really an idiot son.」

The airship──warship that I gifted to father is big and high specs.

The training of the crews has also finished. Among the people who I could rely on, they’re the one with the greatest strength.

While father is thinking hard, big bro and big sis entered the bridge. Miall is also coming along behind them.

Big bro reported in a hurry.

「Father, Zola and others are ordering to enter the ship. That woman, she is bringing a lot of her friends.」

Father sighed lightly, then he walked out the bridge to get out of the ship.

However, he grabbed Miall’s head with one hand and then dragged him.

「Wa, wait! Why are you assaulting Miall!? Let him go!」

Big sis protested at father and Miall himself is also resisting, but father grabbed Miall with one hand and wouldn’t let go.

「Please let go. I didn’t do anything!」

「Shut up! The bastard who sold out my son dare to board my airship! Don’t fuck with me you asshole!」

Father glared angrily at big sis for the first time. ──He is seriously angry.

「Don’t bring this trash who betrayed Leon into my ship! Nix, stay in the bridge. Jena, stay quiet in your room. Someone, take her away at once!」

The crews led away big sis, then I and father headed to the airship’s entrance.

There Zola and her friends are waiting.

Zola ranted at father.

「Barkas! Let us in right away! After that we’re landing on the capital and collect all of my fortune in the mansion. You get that!?」

Father threw away Miall at the harbor that is crowded with a lot of people.

「Wa, wait a second! Listen to what I──」

「Shut up」

And then father drew out the sword hanging on his waist and beheaded Miall with one swing before kicking away his body.

Miall’s head and body are falling separately from the floating harbor.

Zora shut her mouth and looked scared seeing father’s figure.

The eldest son hiding behind Zola──the trembling Ludward glared at father.

「It’s war. Ludward, you’re coming too. This’ll be your first campaign.」

「N, no! Don’t order me around! This savage countryside noble!」

I’m staying silent. Zola seemed to gradually recover from what just happened and recovered her liveliness.

「Barkas, who do you think you’re giving order to! Who do you think it thanks to that you could live in peace──」

「Hand over Ludward. It’s war.」

In front of father who is different from usual, Zola lost her temper on that spot and made a ruckus.

「Don’t get carried away you countryside trash! Ludward is the son of my beloved! He doesn’t have the blood of the like of you flowing inside him. If you want to go to war then go with that good for nothing!」

It seemed she spilled out her real thought without thinking but──really, what a horrible story.

If I got to say what is horrible, then it’s horrible how I was able to predict this.

But, even after hearing that truth──father is relieved for some reason.

「That’s what I suspected. But, it’s refreshing to know that. Zola, this is farewell.」

Zola suddenly changed her attitude.

「Wa, wait. Just now is a misunderstanding. You know, it’s! If you want a heir no matter what, then we can do that after this. Anyway, for now take us away from here.」

「My bad. I’m busy.」

With a signal from father, the knights of Bartfalt House descended from the deck wearing armor.

「Zola and her friends are going home. And then Leon!」

「Yes!」

Father who was pathetic until now is really cool today.

「I’ll return right away after delivering everyone. After that──have you resolved yourself?」

Seeing father’s worried face, I thought that this is the usual father.

It made me strangely happy──I nodded a bit even while feeling pathetic to make him worry like this.

「I see. I’ll take care of the rest. You go do what you want to do. You aren’t going to listen to me anyway. Good grief, you always shocked me every time.」

──I’ll do that, father.

I’m really sorry for causing you trouble like this.

Really I’m──always causing trouble for my parents, whether at the previous life or at this life.

.

Part 6

I who returned to the palace from the harbor received report from Barnard-san who ran toward me.

「Viscount, the gathering of the kingdom’s army isn’t going well. The land battle force is also not assembling smoothly. The number of airships we can properly mobilize is around fifty.」

It’s surprising instead that there is still fifty ships that can be mobilized.

「At my side I secured twenty four ships along with Partner. ──Oops」

The tremor is gradually getting stronger.

Barnard-san’s complexion is also looking really bad.

「Viscount, let me ask you frankly. Can you win? Depending on your answer, I wish to evacuate my family.」

「I can win against the principality army. The problem is only the gigantic monster.」

If the monster was summoned from the second princess who I didn’t know about and the other magic flute, then it should have the same characteristic with the last boss that I know about.

The method to annihilate the gigantic monster──needed the power of the saint and the power of Livia herself.

Livia’s special ability is──a voice that could reach the heart.

Livia had the power to send her voice into people’s heart.

How? How should I know. That’s the setting.

Anyway, that power is necessary. The saint’s power alone won’t be enough.

I can’t believe that Marie didn’t know about this.

「Viscount is really amazing. How about it? When this is over, will you accept Clarice?」

I was about to laugh at Barnard-san’s joke but, his eyes are serious.

I’m strangely sweating.

「──I’ll think about it after winning. Right now, you know, I’m really busy with a lot of things.」

「You’re right. ──The preparation in the audience hall will also be finished soon. Take a rest until then. After that, the person you asked for has also arrived.」

I got shown into a waiting room near the audience hall──Marie and others are there.

.

Part 7

Marie is sitting down while hugging her knees. She is really dirty.

The dress that was originally white is now dirty. She won’t lift her face that she buried on her knees.

Marie’s lovers, the five of them starting from his highness Julius are worried.

Carla who is also similarly in a ragged state is watching over Marie at the corner of the room.

Kyle approached me and started a conversation with an exasperated face.

「To get imprisoned with a false charge──are you cursed?」

「It’s not me. The one cursed is your master. More importantly, what happened?」

Kyle talked about what happened until now with a tired face.

「Goshujin-sama, declared that she isn’t the saint. After that her followers showered her with verbal abuses. The temple’s priests and knights then stormed in with a yell and captured Goshujin-sama before throwing her into the dungeon.」

「What’s that? That’s a bit funny.」

「It’s not funny at all for us though. After that she is in that state until now. ──Goshujin-sama, is she going to get executed?」

She is a heinous criminal who pretended to be the saint. Naturally the temple wouldn’t forgive her.

I’m amazed Mylene-sama was able to take away this girl from the temple.

「The palace too is only delaying the execution temporarily. She should consider he life forfeit whether we win or lose.」

His highness Julius glared angrily at my words.

And then he immediately talked to Marie who must get worried from my words.

「Marie, it’ll be fine. We are with you. That’s why, never mind about Bartfalt’s words.」

But, Marie is──.

「──Annoying」

「Eh?」

「I’m saying you’re annoying! You guys, what do you mean it’ll be fine! Will you guys be able to do something? You think we can win, even though you didn’t see that monster? Really, what a happy-go-lucky bunch.」

「Marie?」

──This stupid girl, she showed her true color.

「Get out! Everyone get out! I──hate all of you!」

Carla ran toward Marie.

「No way, Marie-san, you said that we’re friends.」

「I was obviously lying. Are you stupid? You were isolated and bullied because you’re empty headed like this. I made use of you only because I thought it’ll be enjoyable to irritate that mob bastard over there even if only for a bit. The likes of you──isn’t my friend.」

Carla crumbled in tears.

I clicked my tongue and said.

「So that’s your true color. You’re pretty skilled in acting coy huh. It’s exposed today though.」

Marie sent me a gaze that is filled with hatred, but then Chris covered for Marie.

「Bartfalt, enough! Marie is just tired.」

But it was Marie herself who started disparaging Chris who was covering for her.

「Haa? I wish you’re the one who stop. What are you doing acting like a big shot even though you’re a useless guy except in swordsmanship.」

「Wha-!?」

Marie turned toward Greg and others next.

「You’re also just all talk. What do you mean by real battle. You’re actually useless. The narcissist purple hair over there is also disgusting. You green hair, you’re giving me the creeps because I don’t know what you’re thinking. And then you. You. The biggest problem is you former crown prince!」

「Marie? Just what’s wrong?」

His highness Julius couldn’t keep up with the situation. Marie laughed while speaking.

「You’re a useless guy except of your status as prince. The five of you are really stupid. You five threw away your position, prestige──and even your fortune, do you think any woman will be happy with that? You guys are incomprehensible.」

Marie cackled. She then also sent her gaze toward Kyle.

「The annoying small brat over there too. Always acting cocky and self-important. If I didn’t tolerate you, the like of you will be sent back to the slave merchant again. Be a bit more thankful!」

I think everyone here is appalled.

「Be a lot kinder to me! Everyone should just listen to what I’m saying! I hate those who oppose me or useless, I hate them──I hate you all!」

I shook my head.

「That’s unsightly.」

「Shut up, begone! I can’t be happy because there are you! Give it back. Give it back! ──Give me back my happiness!」

Ange and Livia entered the room when Marie started crying.

「Leon! You’re safe! ──Wha, what’s wrong? What’s this situation?」

「Marie-san, why is she crying?」

I feel guilty toward the two of them even though we can finally meet, but I had something to talk with Marie alone.

「Leave us alone for a bit. I need to talk with this girl.」

Marie is gradually growing quieter and then she collapsed.

It seemed she is really tired and fell asleep.

──Really this girl is annoying.

.

Part 8

──Marie saw a dream.

That day too she was abandoned by her big brother and cried.

It was a memory of her past life.

A memory when her knee got scratched. She sat down and cried until she was tired and fell asleep.

(I was also stupid. Even though I should just go home right away, I got stubborn instead. Come to think of it, how did I go home after this?)

A boy was approaching while she was staring absentmindedly.

He was complaining continuously.

『This idiot. You should just walk home rather than crying until you get tired.』

Her big brother returned and carried her past self on his back.

(Aa, I see. In the end big bro came to pick me up. Then you should just carry me right from the start, this trash big bro.)

Marie wanted to complain but, tears were flowing.

She was sleeping with a peaceful face on her big brother’s back.

She was drooling and dirtied her big brother’s clothes.

When she thought that her big brother would complain about it,

『I wonder why she is relying on me』

Her big brother’s face looked slightly happy. Seeing that Marie grabbed her chest.

That’s right. Her big brother──his words were harsh but he was kind. Marie remembered.

(Trash big bro──don’t die. Just why did you die)

She recalled the day her big brother died.

(Complain at me like usual)

When Marie returned from her trip, her parents slapped her.

And then when the funeral was over, she was driven out from the house right away.

(Even though everything would usually work out if that trash big bro was there. Because that trash big bro was gone, I ended up unhappy. Why did you die──Onii-chan)

Even though the two of them kept complaining at each others, she though they got good relationship going between them.

Most things would be solved for her if she left it to her big brother even if he kept complaining about it.

That was why, Marie behaved like a spoiled child to her big brother. She pushed the game to her big brother also because she was acting spoiled.

But, that reliable big brother of her died because of her. After that everything began to go wrong.

There was an otome game she couldn’t clear. If it was impossible for her, she should leave it to her big brother. Thinking that she pushed the game to her big brother before going to a trip abroad with her friend.

And yet, when she returned her big brother slipped on the stair──and died.

From the last mail that her big brother sent to her mother, her parents realized that she made him to force himself. They became cold toward her then.

There was also how she went to a trip abroad by lying. She lost her parents’ trust.

Marie──didn’t hate the big brother of her previous life for real.

But now──she couldn’t even remember the face of that big brother she relied on.

(Save me. Why aren’t you saving me)

He was always complaining but he would still help her out──it was painful that she couldn’t remember her kind big brother’s face.

.

Part 9

「──Onii-chan」

I sat on a chair while watching Marie’s sleeping face. It made me recalled my annoying little sister at my previous life.

That girl also toyed around with me often and always made me go through hardships.

When I thought how I got put through hardships by Marie at my second life──do I have ill fortune regarding woman?

『Master, is it alright to let her asleep like this?』

A gun without bullet inside is placed on the table for threatening her.

I looked at it while saying.

「Let her sleep for a bit more. There is still time.」

『How about knocking her awake and forcing her to listen?』

「What kind of person do you think I am? No, you don’t need to say. You’re going to call me inhuman brute anyway.」

『Unfortunately that’s wrong. It’s indecisive and incompetent fellow. Master is close there.』

It’s not close at all. Rather it’s far away instead.

Being called inhuman brute will still be better.

Marie lifted up her upper body while I’m glaring at Luxion.

Her eyes were swollen red and her hair was also messy, so she looked a bit scary.

I took the gun so that Marie could see it.

「So you wake up. Now, it’s time to talk.」

「──No. I’m not going to do anything until Onii-chan come.」

What’s with this girl? Is she perhaps broken? Who is this Onii-chan?

What a really hopeless fellow.

「Your big brother? He must be a good for nothing trash anyway.」

「Don’t make fun of Onii-chan!」

Marie threw the thing near her at me so I grabbed Luxion and used him as shield.

『Master, I’m not going to forget this』 He said something like that with a voice filled with resentment so I ignored him.

「You’re really trash. I was stupid to see my little sister in you. That girl is still better than you.」

「Shut up! It’s your little sister, so she must be an idiot woman with a screw loose anyway!」

She was crazy, selfish, idiot and also irritating little sister but, Marie got no right to say that much about her!

「Don’t make fun of her! She is still a hundred times better than you! Certainly she got a screw loose, her personality was terrible, and in addition she was rotten with the worst personality, but she’s still better than you!」

「My big bro was also a hundred times better than you. No, he was even far better! He got a mob face, and speaking bluntly he was irritating, bad mouthed, got bad personality, got a bad mouth──a, anyway, don’t make fun of Onii-chan!」

──This is stupid.

Why do I have to argue like this with this girl?

We insulted our respective sibling until we ran out of breath and the conversation cut off.

After catching up my breath, I asked Marie.

「Why did you become the saint? If you had cleared that otome game, you should know that Livia’s power is necessary. In addition you entered the fight even though you didn’t even have the royal family’s ship, are you stupid?」

Marie answered while heaving.

「I didn’t know that! I asked──big bro──Onii-chan to clear the game for me. After that big bro died right away, I checked the save data around the time things calmed down! I didn’t know anything about the game except from the illustrations or the movies!」

This girl, she’s saying she achieved reverse harem with half baked knowledge even though she didn’t even clear the game!?

──E, eh? Wait a second. She made her big bro clear the game?

「──My, little sister went to a trip abroad, so she pushed that game on me telling me to clear it during her trip. Eh? Could it be, you──eh?」

Marie also said 「Eh?」 and watched my face with intense concentration.

I also watched Marie’s face carefully. There the vestige of my previous life’s little sister is remaining markedly.

This offensive face is without a doubt! Marie is my little sister from the previous life!

「O, Onii-chan!? Onii~cha──ouch!」

I hit the head of Marie who was about to leap at me with the grip of the handgun in my hand.

「SO IT’S YOUUUUU!」

When I yelled that, clattering sound came from behind the door.

But, rather than minding that I focused at the girl in front of me──Marie.

「Isn’t this too cruel toward your little sister who you met after so long?」

「I decided in my heart, if by chance I’m reunited with you then I’ll take revenge.」

「It was because big bro tattled at mom that the situation got tangled! Do you know just how hard I got it after that huh?」

「From the start it was all your fault! No, wait! How was mother and father doing?」

Luxion watched our conversation and said.

『I don’t think that the two of you are acting, this made me consider that all those talks about previous life and otome game made might be truth.』

──This guy, he was still doubting me before?