Volume 7, Chapter 04 “Anego“
Volume 7, Chapter 04 “Anego“
Part 1
When Ideal left, Luxion left the mansion.
The rest of us, Marie and I, sat on the sofa and talked about the future.
I can’t invite other guys to this place because there are many stories that I can’t let others hear, such as reincarnation people, or otome games.
“Lelia has a nice date with Emile. I envy her.”
When I say that, Marie looks dissatisfied.
“Aniki had a date with Noelle, didn’t you? Didn’t you stop by a cafe on your way back from the morning market? Noelle seemed to enjoy talking to you.”
“It’s not a date”
“Please be clear. I feel sorry for Noelle.”
“It’s a pity she fell in love with me. In the first place, it’s impossible, because I have a fiancée.”
When I countered with a straightforward opinion, Marie silent.
I’m not faithful enough to love more than one woman, and Noelle should find another man.
Marie is lying her face down and asks me.
“Does Aniki hate Noelle?”
“――I don’t hate her”
I think I rather like her.
If I had met her first, I might have confessed my feelings to her―or would I? Well, I’m aware that she is that attractive.
Her cheerful and lively personality has a different charm from Ange and Livia.
“If you like her, answer her properly! Because you like that, that’s why you missed your chance in your previous life!”
“What are you talking about? Other than that, I didn’t think that Lelia would be convinced by Emile.”
In the past, I had the impression that she was the one who bossed Emile around, so I thought she would cancel Emile’s errands to come here.
I’m sorry Emile, but I’m going to have to ask him to be patient for the sake of the future of the Commonwealth.
But that Lelia didn’t come to us, preferring Emile.
I used to complain about a lot of things, but we used to at least discuss them.
Marie remembered something about Emile.
“It’s surprising, isn’t it? Emile is a quiet boy in the game, so he doesn’t push you too hard. The capture of Emile seems to be a little light or lacking. There are few events.”
“Was that a safe tile? I thought you said that if you failed to capture the other boys, you could just switch to Emile?”
Marie started nodding and talking nostalgically, as if she remembered the time when she was playing the second game in her previous life.
“Maybe that’s why? There were only a few events for one of them, and the ending was just an illustration of the main character and Emile. When I conquered other boys, my companions would congratulate me, but there was nothing for Emile.”
I pity Emile. Did the creators hate him?
“Emile is unfortunate. It’s Lelia, of all people.”
“That’s gonna come back to Aniki, isn’t it? After all, you’re the one who had to deal with Angelica and Olivia.”
“If that’s the case, then it’s unfortunate that Julius and the others were chosen by you.”
“I’m more unhappy! I’m having a lot of trouble! If Julius and the others have a partner, bring her to me and I’ll give them my blessing!”
As we stared at each other, we felt silly and changed the subject.
It is wise to avoid topics that pierce both sides.
Marie reminded me of one topic about Emile.
“Ah, by the way, there was some rumor stuff about Emile.”
“Rumor?”
“There was a post on the Internet that said if you switch to Emile in the middle of the game, the other characters won’t appear for a long time, so Emile might have gotten mad and eliminated them. Emile is actually the scariest character in the game.”
Will the game be filled with such hard-to-understand material?
“It’s impossible, right”
I immediately denied it because I remembered Emile’s good-natured face. I could not believe that that kind young man would eliminate his friends.
“That’s right. Ah~ah, if I had been reincarnated in the Commonwealth, I might have gone after Emile the same way Lelia did.”
“And you’re going to make Emile your slave, just like Lelia?”
“Yes, yes! You’re wrong!”
While I was talking with Marie, there was a knock on the door of my room. When I answered, it was Cordelia-san, who had recently developed dark circles under her eyes, who opened the door.
“Count, you have a visitor.”
“Visitor?”
“Loic-sama of House Barriel needs to see you on important business. He would also like to speak with you, Marie-sama.”
I heard that Loic came to the mansion in a hurry.
Wondering what was going on, Marie and I looked at each other before getting up from the couch.
.
Part 2
The place where they let Loic through was the dining hall.
And surrounding Loic were Julius and the other, five idiots.
“What do you come here for?”
Julius crosses his arms and shows a cold attitude, but so do the other four.
They seemed to be wary of Loic.
Loic was wary of the five idiots, but he looked happy when Marie and I arrived.
Marie was in the line of sight.
“Long time no see!”
Marie replies with a bit of dismay to Loic, who bows ninety degrees.
“We saw each other at the academy a while ago.”
“It’s been five days already!”
It’s amazing that it’s been so long since they’ve seen each other after only five days of not seeing each other.
Loic handed a souvenir to Marie.
“Ah, this is the cake that Anego wanted to eat. It’s a souvenir, so please eat it together.”
“Thank you ~”
When Marie received the cake as a souvenir, she gently hugged the cake in the bag to keep it from falling apart, and her eyes lit up. ――This girl is so easy? She used to be happy with expensive gifts like brand-name clothes and ornaments, but now she’s even impressed with the cake.
As a brother from a previous life, I was wondering if I should be honestly happy about this.
Then, Jilk stopped her here.
“Don’t get lured by things, Marie-san! And Count Bartfalt, please say something to him like you usually do!”
“Ha?”
“Look, you usually say things that make our hearts ache, don’t you? Please do the same for that fool who calls Marie-san, Anego without hesitation.”
―― I looked around and saw that the other four were nodding their heads.
Do you guys usually look at me like that?
“What’s wrong with calling her Anego?”
I don’t blame Loic, and now Brad is pressing me.
“This man has a thing for Marie! Can’t you see that!”
“So?”
“Eh? N-No, I’m having trouble answering when you say that.”
Why did you think I’d get involved with Marie and you guys’ little love affair?
Before, I just intervened with my hands and mouth because I thought it would destroy the country, but now I don’t have to.
I look at the five idiots in front of me, and then at Loic.
“He calls Marie Anego because he adores her, right? And now that he’s not bothering me like you guys, I don’t have anything to say to him.”
When I said this, Loic, who had been listening to the conversation, thanked me and then turned to Julius and the others with a triumphant look on his face.
“Thank you, Count Baltfalt. ――That’s right. So I’ll do as I please, Your Highness Julius.”
“I should’ve cut him down then.”
While Julius and the others were gritting their teeth in frustration, Marie was preparing tea and checking on Loic’s business.
“By the way, Loic, what’s the urgent matter?”
Loic straightened his posture. His attitude toward Marie is different to mine and the five idiots.
“At the risk of bringing shame on the Commonwealth, there is a disturbing trend among the younger nobles and soldiers. It is mainly the lower-ranking nobles whose crest power is weak.”
Marie tilted her head, so Julius forcefully took over the conversation as if to take her place.
“It’s a real shame”
I wanted to say to Julius, “You are a disgrace to the Horfalt Kingdom.” If you were a little more decent, I wouldn’t have had so much trouble.
However, Loic ignores Julius and talks to Marie.
“I hope this is just a domestic disturbance, but there’s something that doesn’t quite make sense.”
Marie lowered Julius and returned to the conversation.
“What’s on your mind?”
” ―― They came to invite me, who now without protection. They asked me if I wanted to destroy this corrupt system and create a new country.”
I’m sorry to say it, but the reasons seem pretty common to me.
Rebellion ―― Are they planning a coup d’etat? It’s a story within the Commonwealth, but it’s also relevant to those of us who are studying abroad.
Brad shrugged his shoulders.
“Thank you for your warning. You can leave when you’re done talking ―― no, wait a minute.”
I thought he was going to tell him to get the hell out of here, but there was something wrong with the five idiots.
The five of them looked at each other and were discussing something.
When Marie and I tilted our heads, Chris gave us a clear explanation.
“The Commonwealth is extremely strong at the top, thanks to the blessings of the Sacred Tree. Is this correct?”
We nodded, and Chris talked about the part he didn’t understand while positioning his glasses with his fingertips.
“It’s dangerous to start a rebellion in such a country. Besides, Loic has lost his crest. Why would they invite him?”
I glanced at Loic and then answered Chris’s question.
“Because I thought they had a grudge against the higher-ups?”
“It’s possible in other countries, but in the Commonwealth, things are different. Besides, if Loic had a grudge, it would be with you rather than the Commonwealth?”
When I look at Loic, he scratches his cheek with his finger and averts his gaze.
“No, no, I don’t hold a grudge. No, now is not.”
He said that he had resented me not long ago.
The higher-ups are the most powerful in the Commonwealth. The only people who can stand up to them are the nobles, who have little power, and the soldiers, who have no blessings. It’s a bit odd, if you ask me.
Loic has other stories to tell that are interesting.
“I naturally refused, saying that it wouldn’t work. But they seemed to have something to hide. They said my fears were nothing to be worried about.”
The fears were nothing to be worried about? Are they taking precautions against crests? Marie looks at me, but she’s a little pale.
“What are we going to do? We haven’t even found Yumeria-san yet, we can’t just go home, can we?”
I don’t want to get caught up in the rebellion within the Commonwealth.
I want to escape to the upper country right away, and that’s the only reason I have.
In terms of noble values, the sacrifice of a single servant is an event that can be ignored.
Normally, we should have retreated to the kingdom right away ―― but there are reasons why Marie and I can’t.
Greg scratches his head roughly with his hand.
“It’s done. There’s no point in worrying about it. Besides, if we know about it, the rebels have failed. If this is how that bastard Loic came to us with the information, then of course the high-ranking people in the Commonwealth must know about it. “
Everyone’s eyes were drawn to Loic. Loic nodded.
“I’ve reported it to them, though they didn’t take it very seriously. Noelle is here, too, so I thought I’d let you know just in case.”
The Yandere man who had been obsessed with Noelle was now acting like a gentleman, as if the possession had fallen off.
I’m surprised at how big the gap is.
Julius narrowed his eyes and revealed Loic’s scheme.
“You’ve come to see Marie for that reason, haven’t you? But when you’re done, go home!”
You’re too cold towards Loic. Well, it wouldn’t be funny if any man would get close to the woman he loves.
However, Marie ignores Julius.
“Loic, your tea is ready, drink it.”
“I’ll have it, Anego!”
Two of them ignored Julius and the others and began to prepare the tea.
Ignored, the five idiots turned their gaze to me and asked for my help.
―― No, don’t look at me.
.
Part 3
After Loic left, I visited Noelle’s room.
The reason was to tell Noelle about the story with Loic. Noelle had been stalked before, and it had been by Loic.
Even though he was calmer now, Noelle was still very uncomfortable with Loic, so I asked her to stay in her room.
” ―― So, the Commonwealth is in the midst of a rebellion.”
After a brief explanation of Loic’s story, Noelle hugged the case that contained Sapling-chan.
“War in the Commonwealth. It’s rare.”
“Rare?”
“I don’t know what’s going on within the nobility, but for a commoner like me, there’s never been a rebellion before.”
If there was a commotion, the six great nobles seemed to have taken care of it before the people knew about it. Noelle hugged the case and looked down.
“Do you remember when the mansion burned?”
“When the Rault House attacked us?”
Noelle raised her head and gave a small nod when I mentioned the opening event of the second game.
“That’s what I heard. Lelia seemed to know, but I was confused and didn’t know what was going on. I remember the adults gathered around Lelia and talked about the future.”
“Around Lelia?”
“Ever since I was a kid, Lelia was more popular and important to everyone around her.”
Lelia must have had a good handle on things because she was a reincarnated person. It seems that even as a child, she was more expected by the adults around her than Noelle.
“Huh? But didn’t she say that Lelia wasn’t fit to be a priestess?”
Noelle looks surprised.
“Lelia told you?”
Was it bad if she said it?
“Various things happened when helping Noelle”
“I see. But you know ―― it was really Lelia who was the one they were expecting.”
From there, Noelle tells us about the Lespinasse house’s past.
“They all said they wished that Lelia had the aptitude to be a priestess.”
.
Part 4
――Twelve years ago.
Noelle and her twin sister, Lelia, were in one of the mansions owned by the Lespinasse house. There are several mansions in the estate, and they use them for different seasons.
Their parents had to be late due to an urgent matter, so it was just the two of them that spent the day together.
As a child, Noelle was very active at the time, going out into the garden to catch insects.
“Look, Lelia. I caught it!”
She shows the bug to brag about it, but Lelia looks very uncomfortable.
“Don’t get too close. More than that, your clothes are dirty.”
Since that time, Lelia has been calm and has been giving Noelle little talks like a parent.
Noelle is not happy about that.
“I’m your big sister!”
“What’s that relevant to what we’re talking about? And since we’re twins, it doesn’t really matter which one of us is better, does it?”
Noelle was troubled by the fact that it was indeed true, as she said.
While she was fidgeting to say something back, the insect in her hand went berserk and ran away.
“Oh, it ran away”
When she looked sad that the insect she had taken the trouble to catch had escaped, Lelia looked dumbfounded.
“Don’t cry over it”
“I’m not crying mon!”
Noelle raised her voice, and the servants who had been watching the situation gathered around.
As the middle-aged woman approached Noelle, she noticed that her clothes were dirty and looked troubled.
“Noelle-sama, you mustn’t get your clothes too dirty.”
“Because, the bug is”
“Catching bugs is not something to play with. You have to learn from Lelia-sama.”
Noelle was downcast by those words. She had always been told to learn from Lelia.
Lelia has always lived up to the expectations of adults, no matter what they asked her to do. Noelle’s reputation as a childish child was inevitably negatively affected by the comparison.
As the servants took her to change her clothes, she heard voices behind her. It was the voices of the knights and their men who were guarding her, as if they thought Noelle couldn’t hear them.
“I don’t think we’re going to get anywhere with that.”
“Is Lelia-sama really not suitable for a priestess?”
“The priestess-sama and the guardian-dono say that Lelia-sama is not fit to be a priestess. If she had become a priestess, the next generation would have been safe.”
A priestess’s aptitude ―― that’s what it takes to become a priestess of the sacred tree, they said. They had never heard of this before, but if the mother of Noelle and Lelia, the current priestesses, said so, then it was true.
Noelle felt embarrassed that she could not live up to the expectations of the adults, but at the same time, she did not know what to do.
It was known to the members of the Lespinasse house ―― some of them even knew that Lelia was not fit to be a priestess. Therefore, Noelle had been chosen as the next priestess.
Although no adults were outwardly disappointed, Noelle could imagine that behind the scenes they were thinking the same things as the knights.
When she turned around, Lelia was surrounded by adults.
She envied her younger sister who, unlike her, could do anything.
.
Part 5
“―― In the end, all I was good for was being a priestess. If Lelia had the aptitude to be a priestess, none of them would have been interested in me. Even Clement is really more worried about Lelia than me.”
I understood one thing when I heard Noelle’s story about her past. These sisters have an inferiority complex with each other.
Lelia’s lack of aptitude as a priestess had given her the idea that “aneki was the protagonist of this world and I was a mob”.
Noelle has mixed feelings about her sister, saying, “Lelia was more expected.”
Jealousy? But she seems to have feelings for her as a sister, and that’s troublesome.
I would say that if Lelia is a reincarnated person, she should be able to handle herself better.
―― But when I think about it, it’s something that neither I nor Marie could have done.
It would be a rather irrational argument to say that because she is a reincarnated person, everything will be fine.
In the first place, if I could do it well, I would have done it better and succeeded in my previous life.
I ask Noelle, wanting to change the subject to the attack by Rault House.
“And then you were attacked and you ran away?”
“Yes. I didn’t know what was going on, and it wasn’t until a few days later that I learned that the Rault had attacked. But Lelia was the only one who noticed. She’s always been good at what she does.”
With the knowledge of the second game, she would have guessed that much.
“Noelle, do you know why Rault House attacked?”
Why did Rault House attack Lespinasse House? I couldn’t help but wonder about this part.
” ―― Lelia said it was because the Rault house wanted to take the reign. The adults around them also agreed so it was probably true. She said Alberg was so angry about the rejection of mother, and a lot of other things.”
“It’s not about Lelia. I want to hear Noelle’s opinion.”
When I approached Noelle and looked into her eyes, she averted her gaze.
“You know something, don’t you?”
“Y-you know our fathers were commoners, right?”
“I heard. And the Rault didn’t think that was a good idea?”
Noelle shakes her head.
“Is it wrong?”
Once upon a time, Noelle’s mother was engaged to Alberg-san.
The man she had chosen to break them off with was, to her surprise, not a nobleman.
Alberg-san’s engagement was broken off, but the other party was the Lespinasse house ―― It’s a house of priestesses and a house that holds the chair. It would have been difficult for him to protest.
Marie and Lelia’s argument was that this resentment had built up and led to the attack.
“I don’t know the details, but many people didn’t think it was a good idea, even the servants at the house were talking about it. But both of them ―― “
Noelle is reluctant to say anything, but when she turns to face me, we make eye contact.
“―― They were saying that the system we have now is wrong.”
A representative of the Commonwealth―let’s say, a person in the position of a representative of the land or queen of the land was criticizing the current system?
.
Part 6
When Leon left the room, it was Marie who visited Noelle’s room instead.
“That bastard, what is he talking about when he enters a maiden’s room?”
She was excited to see what might happen when Leon went to Noelle’s room, but she was disappointed.
Noelle is making a troubled smile.
“L-Look, Leon was just worried about me.”
“When a woman lets a man into her room, it’s a sign that she likes him! But that chicken bastard gives all kinds of reasons to keep his distance! He approaches without permission, lends a hand, and then runs away when over here approach him! He’s the worst of the worst man!”
Noelle agrees with some of what Marie has to say.
“I-I guess you’re right. Leon is going to get stabbed one day if he’s not careful.”
Marie also imagines Leon being stabbed by a woman.
(If aniki had lived long enough in his previous life, he’d have been stabbed someday. But he’s going to get stabbed in this world too. Why do I have to worry so much about my brother from my previous life!)
If Leon were to ask her about it, she might shake her head, but Marie knows about her brother’s relationships with women in his previous life.
Even if he doesn’t feel it, it doesn’t mean that the other person doesn’t.
Marie slumped her shoulders and gave follow for her pathetic brother.
“Noelle ―― even though he’s like that, but please don’t throw him away. Ani― Leon would be happier with a girl like Noelle by his side.”
“Eh? E~Etto― He already has two lovely fiancées, right? I-I feels bad enough that I fell in love with Leon. And why does Marie-chan care so much about Leon? “
“Inseparable relationship”
Noelle laughed when she heard Marie’s affirmative answer.
“Ahaha”
“Eh? What’s so funny?”
“I’m sorry, but when I talked to Leon before, he said the same thing. You two are kind of alike, you know.”
The expression disappeared from Marie’s face, and she hugged both shoulders and shivered.
“Stop it. I can’t laugh.”
Noelle was puzzled by such a reaction.
“I-I’m sorry”
When the atmosphere was strange, Marie changed the subject to change the flow of the conversation.
“Anyway! ―Noelle, stay with us. If you stay here, Leon and Luxion will protect Noelle.”
Noelle nodded to Marie. The look on her face, Marie realized, was one of trust in Leon.
“Un”
.
Part 7
I went outside the mansion.
As I stood at the spot where I thought Yumeria-san had last been, I was talking to Luxion, who was floating by my side.
“She went from here to the front door and then disappeared. You can’t even get a clue. You’re not as awesome as you say you are.”
[I’m aware that I’m better than the Master.]
“If you lose to me, I’m afraid you’ll be questioning your very existence as an AI.”
[As always, your mouth is bad.]
“I will lose to you”
[――So, what are you going to do now?]
“Hmm, it’s been a while since I’ve heard Ange and Livia’s voices.”
[My main body is on the Commonwealth side. Communication is impossible.]
In this world, instead of being able to use magic, the use of communication devices makes the interference worse.
Even with Luxion, it’s hard to contact them far away.
Previously, Luxion’s main body was between the Kingdom and the Commonwealth and relayed the messages, so we were able to communicate somehow. But now that Luxion is close to the Commonwealth, it is difficult.
“I want to send them a video, so get it ready.”
[I don’t mind. More importantly, are you sure about Kyle?]
After Yumeria-san went missing, Kyle began to shut himself away in his room.
Even when he went out, he was walking around looking for clues to Yumeria-san.
When he came back tired, he would stay indoors, and when he felt better, he would go out and spend his time listening.
“Marie and Cara are taking care of him. In times like this, the opposite sex is better than the same sex. I want to be healed by Ange and Livia too.”
[Don’t you usually get healed by Noelle or Louise?]
“That is that, this is this. It’s men who want to be healed by beautiful girls of different types.”
[That’s a garbage statement. I will report the current dialogue to everyone.]
“Stop! And who is everyone that you are talking about?”
In addition to Ange, Livia, Noelle and Louise, there are other people who should not know. As I imagined them in my mind, Luxion’s single eye glowed suspiciously.
[So many other women besides the two of them come to mind, and Master is a man without an ounce of integrity.]
“――Ah? If you say that, what about you who think that new humans are not human and want to destroy them? Ah, sorry. You’re not human, are you!”
My words triggered Luxion to become silent.
He turned one eye away from me and went on his way.
[Yes, I am. I’m not human. ―― I am an AI.]
.
Part 8
There was a being who was listening to the conversation between Leon and Luxion from afar.
It was Ideal who had been keeping watch without even Luxion realizing it.
From the conversation between the two, he confirms that the relationship is getting worse.
[The relationship between those two is worse than before. That’s a good thing.]
Ideal, who had led them to do so, felt as if a seed of distrust had sprouted in their relationship.
He played the role of a superior AI to Leon, and made him compare him to Luxion.
Thanks to that, Leon became dissatisfied with Luxion.
[Leon, you underestimated the fact that there was someone who could outsmart Luxion. You should have been more careful.]
Luxion is also displeased with Leon’s attitude.
Their relationship had become what Ideal wanted it to be.
[Luxion will soon realize. ――That the new humans were not worthy of belief.]
Ideal’s red lens glowed ominously in the night sky and then disappeared.