Volume 7, Prologue
Volume 7, Prologue
I was at the market early in the morning on my day off.
The open space where the morning market is held is lined with stalls, full of energy that makes you forget the cold of the morning.
The plaza was surrounded by buildings, and the morning sun shone through the gaps, making the scene look a little more fantasy.
Cheerful shopkeepers were shouting and promoting their products.
Shoppers are also bargaining aggressively, and their voices are getting louder as they exchange bargains despite the noise around them.
“They are so lively in the morning”
As I muttered this, my eyes still not fully open, my partner Luxion, who was floating by my side, gave me a small talk.
[Master looks sleepy in the morning. It’s because you’ve been staying up late. Please try to live a healthier life.]
“I’m nocturnal.”
As usual, I gave him an unmotivated excuse in return.
I’m not a nocturnal person. I just wanted to retort to his sarcastic and righteous argument.
Luxion seemed to understand that as well.
[Your excuses are getting messy.]
“Give me a break, I’m sleepy. I was woken up on my long-awaited holiday. I was asked to shop, there is no way my tension will go up.”
The reason I’m here at the morning market is because Marie woke me up.
In the morning, “I’m busy, so aniki has to carry the stuff.” —she said, like that.
It makes me feel pathetic for being used by my little sister from a previous life. Normally, I would have strongly rejected it.
“I’m sorry, Leon. It’s hard for me to carry the groceries alone.”
―― Noelle was in charge of the shopping this time.
She has long hair with a little habit is made into a side ponytail on the right side of the head. Her hair was blonde at the roots and pink towards the tip, a gradation of color that made her stand out from the others.
Noelle is dressed in plain clothes, but her hair is set early in the morning and she wears a thin layer of makeup.
Because it was early in the morning, she stood out a bit among the many people who didn’t care about their appearance. The men, in particular, were looking at her.
Noelle looks very enthusiastic, but her expression is not good.
Noelle’s has apologetic look, I apologizes for my grumble.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to blame Noelle. It’s Marie’s fault.”
“But you’re the one who’s helping me.”
My role is to carry Noelle’s stuff.
Noelle is a little depressed, as if she thought she was bothering me.
When the awkward air begins to drift between us, the disappointed Luxion blames me.
[You’re as insensitive as ever?]
“Shut up.”
[Oya, you’re angry because I’ve hit the nail on the head, aren’t you? In the first place, it was the Master’s fault for not thinking that complaining would put a damper on Noelle’s happy mood.]
Luxion’s words irritated me.
“You should be a little nicer to your Master. Don’t you think I’d be hurt by your words?”
[You want me to be nice to a Master who hurts others? You’ve got to be kidding me.]
Do you really hate me that much? And when have I ever hurt anyone else!
“I’m a peace-loving man whose motto is be kind to myself and others.”
[Can you be stricter on yourself there? Besides, it’s contradictory for a person whose motto is to be kind to others to run amok in the Commonwealth.]
“It’s safe because it’s not a contradiction in my mind.”
[Master’s standards are far too lenient for yourself. It’s been almost a year since you came to study in Arzel Commonwealth, and do you remember how many times you’ve gone on a rampage during that time?]
I’ve certainly run amok a few times in Commonwealth.
The first time I went rampage was when I took on Pierre of the Feivel House. The Einhorn, controlled by Luxion, went on a rampage against the Commonwealth, which was undefeated in defensive battle, ending their undefeated myth.
Next was I dealt with the Loic of Barielle House.
I took on Yandere Loic, who was Noelle’s stalker, and intrude in his wedding to steal his bride.
I went on a rampage by using Arroganz, and then, broke the Commonwealth’s pride.
The third one is a fight with Serge, who wants to sacrifice Louise-san.
I beat him up too.
――Huh? I’ve fought three times in one year?
“Three times. See, I haven’t forgotten.”
[I’m glad you remembered. And while you remember, do you think it’s contradictory for you to say that you’re peace-loving man?]
“I didn’t initiate it. I’m always the one being picked on.”
[Didn’t you encouraging people to initiate it? If the Commonwealth made a mistake, it was in accepting Master as a foreign student.]
“You went rampage too, right! You make it sound like I’m the only one responsible, but you’re also guilty!”
[Unfortunately, I’m not human. And since it is master who has the authority to give orders, it is the master who is responsible.]
Since I was the one who gave the order, I couldn’t say anything back, so I closed my mouth and clenched my teeth in frustration “Gununu“.
Then Noelle, who had been listening to our casual conversation ― smiled. She seemed to be enjoying our conversation.
“You two really get along, don’t you?”
After Noelle said that, my voice and Luxion’s overlap.
“Ha~a? Where?”
[Noelle, situational awareness should be done correctly.]
It’s just that the timing of our voice was too close together, when we closed our mouth, Noelle gave me a big smile.
Noelle looks radiant in the morning sun.
“You say a lot of things, but you two are good friends.”
“Eh ~”
When I let out an unconvincing voice, Luxion was like electrocuted. He let out voice “Ouch” as if get painful stimulation from an electrotherapy machine.
Noelle took out a note from her pocket and checked the ingredients she would buy at the morning market.
“Leon looks sleepy too, so let’s finish shopping quickly.”
When Noelle said that, Luxion said in a voice that only I could hear.
[――Master, are you not responding to Noelle’s feelings?]
If I am such a dexterous person, I wouldn’t be in a situation like this.
Besides.
“Didn’t Ange and Livia tell you to keep an eye on my affairs? And now you want me to put my hands on Noelle?”
I answered in a whisper, and Luxion spoke to me in a more serious voice than before.
[I’m not going to report Noelle as cheating. If Master decides, Noelle will come to the Kingdom of Horfalt. Isn’t that good enough]
You’re ignoring my feelings, though.
Noelle was walking a little ahead of me, looking at the stalls. She seemed to be used to the morning market, as she was looking for the ingredients she wanted to buy.
She has cheerful personality and she is a pleasant girl and fun to hang out with.
I don’t think Ange and Livia are boring, but she certainly has a certain charm that the two of them don’t have.
She is cute and most importantly, she’s strong.
I’d like her to be happy but―I wonder if it’s okay for me to make her happy.
I want her to find a more wonderful partner, not a guy like me.
“You and Marie both think too highly of me.”
I had noticed that Marie had sent Noelle and I off to the morning market to buy some groceries so that she could leave us alone.
I’m sure she’s thinking about Noelle in her own way, but it’s unnecessary meddling.
[I don’t think you highly or lowly. I’m evaluating that the Master is just a coward.]
“I’m not a coward.”
When I denied Luxion’s lousy comment, he just went on as if he had been waiting for me to say that.
[Oya? Did you forget when you got engaged to Angelica and Olivia? Because Master is a coward, two of them confessed to you personally.]
“Don’t say that. It’s not fair.”
I knew I would lose if I continued to argue with him, so I broke off the conversation.
Noelle stopped in front of a stall to see if she had found the food she wanted and began to negotiate.
When she asked for a discount because she was buying in bulk, the owner, an elderly man, gave her a discount with a smile on his face.
If I had asked him, he would definitely refuse.
A cute girl is good, right.
As I was thinking this, a middle-aged woman with dignity was bargaining at another stall nearby.
When I look over there, I see a woman overpowering the shopkeeper.
“Hey, isn’t this eaten by bugs. Are you going to sell this one at the same price as others? No one like this will buy it.”
“N-No, it’s only the surface that’s being eaten.”
“I’ll buy one of them for that price, but you have to give me the one that’s been eaten. You don’t want it to be left unsold, do you?”
“That’s a problem, but… I-I understand.”
“If so, this and this are also okay, right.”
“Eh!?”
When the woman chose a vegetable that had also been eaten by insects, she said that it should be a bonus.
In the end, the shopkeeper relented because it was better than leaving them unsold, and the woman bought several vegetables at one price.
It doesn’t seem to matter if she’s cute or not.
“Women are strong, aren’t they “
Noelle is cute, though.
As I admiringly watched the woman’s back, a suspicious-looking stall came into view. The stall was set up in a gap between the buildings and was selling some kind of medicine.
A few customers were looking at the medicines and buying them, and they looked like adventurers.
“Adventurers of the Commonwealth?”
Since arriving in Alzer Commonwealth, the only adventurer I’ve seen is Serge. Unlike Horfalt Kingdom, adventurers have a low social status in this country.
The customers finished their shopping and left.
I was curious to see what was going on, but the owner of the stall was wearing a hood so deep that it was hard to see his face.
“Welcome”
He calls out to me, but his attitude is blunt.
The shopkeeper’s attitude is bad, perhaps because he saw me and thought I am just looking at goods.
The store was opened with cloth laid on the ground and products lined up on it.
I bend down and pick up one of the items.
“Is this a medicine?”
I asked, the shop owner began to explain roughly.
“It’s a body-strengthening drug, though I don’t think it’s necessary for a customer like you.”
Luxion begins to explain in a voice that only I can hear.
[This is the body enhancement potion that Serge was using. This seems to be a degraded version that is less effective than the one Serge used.]
Body Strengthening Drugs — It’s an item that you can find in a lot of games. It can be used to temporarily increase a status, or attack power. It exerts such an effect.
Liquids in primary colors such as red and blue are arranged in small glass bottles.
“He~e, that sounds interesting. Give me one of every kind.”
The owner was a little confused when I told him I was going to buy it. However, once he knew I was going to buy it, his attitude softened.
“Be careful. Also, after using it once, please wait at least 6 hours before using it again. Continuous use will damage your body.”
I felt like nodding my head as I handed over the money, listening to the owner’s explanation as he packed the small bottles into a small wooden box.
There were precautions as if it was real medicine. I felt uncomfortable, because, in games, I often use several at once.
When I received the wooden box and stood up, I left the store and talked to Luxion.
“It’s like a real drug.”
When I say that with a laugh, Luxion makes a dumbfounded sound.
[It’s not like a drug. It’s the drug itself.]
“Eh?”
[It seems that the master is misunderstood. It’s also a problem that you have game knowledge.]
While saying Yare Yare, Luxion warned me.
[To explain it in simple terms for Master, it’s called doping. Do you think that a highly effective drug can have no negative effects on people?]
A drug that enhances physical abilities, albeit temporarily, has no downside ―― a story like that seems to be the only in game.
In other words, you’re saying that game characters who keep using body strengthening drugs ― are drugged?
“I’ve just bought this, and now I can’t use it? Well, this will be a preparation in case of an emergency.”
I had seen Serge use it before, and I wanted to have it as one of my trump cards.
“By the way, that Serge guy used it a lot. I wonder if a good quality drug has fewer disadvantages?”
I fought Serge when I was rescuing Louise-san, and he used body strengthening drugs twice in a short time.
When I thought expensive drugs would no problem, Luxion denied it.
[It is possible that there are few demerits, but it is hard to believe that Serge himself is using it in accordance with the dosage.]
Indeed. Serge looked rough from the outside, and his words and actions were just the same.
He didn’t seem to be following the instructions for using the drug.
When I thought it ―― he has been pushing himself too hard to fight me?
No, was it actually a drug with few effects and few disadvantages?
“Ah, I understand. I could’ve sunk him with a single punch to the face, and I’m guessing the body strengthening drugs weren’t effective enough.”
When Luxion heard my idea, he agreed with me. He does, though.
[That’s very likely. If even a master can defeat him, then Serge’s ability must be lower than expected.]
“―― You said so, but isn’t my evaluation strangely low?”
[It’s a normal thing to do. However――]
However, Luxion denied the use of body-strengthening drugs.
[Why don’t you train yourself before resorting to drugs? Also, I don’t recommend the use of inferior products. I suggest that you discard it, as it may be incompatible with the Master’s constitution.]
“My constitution? Oh, perhaps you could make an effective body-strengthening drug?”
[ ―― It is possible to formulate, but are you really going to use it?]
“Trump cards are important, right?”
I decided to have Luxion analyze the medicines I had obtained and create a body-enhancing drug that would suit my constitution.
When I came back with a small wooden box under my arm, I saw Noelle with a tea paper bag full of food, waving his left hand in the air.
“Leon, where have you been?”
“I’ve found something interesting. Instead, I’ll get your stuff.”
I took the groceries from Noelle, held it in one hand, and we started walking together.
The two of us walk side by side amidst the noise around us.
Noelle looked a little embarrassed as she spoke to me.
The topic is about changes in the mansion.
“Even so, the mansion is noisier than before. Julius and others are too free.”
Noelle smiles in annoyance and agrees vehemently.
“Julius has become a skewer idiot, and Jilk’s antique collection has gotten worse. They brought so much garbage that one corner of the house became like a trash dump. Brad ― Yeah, I think he is less damaging? “
Five idiots became the topics.
They are princes who have become even worse since coming to this Arzel Commonwealth.
Noelle gives me a frown look.
“I can’t say it because I’m indebted to them, but maybe I want you to do something about Greg-san and Chris-san. I’m a little troubled because they walk around the mansion almost half-naked.”
“Because they’re real idiots.”
Noelle looked tired as she was shown the half-naked body of a man she didn’t want to see.
Greg had taken up muscle training and often walked around the mansion with his upper body naked.
He usually wears a tank top, but after a workout, he took off it ― and started walking around to show off his pumped up muscles.
I kicked him from behind a few times, but he wouldn’t change his ways.
He said, “I want Marie to see the muscles I’ve been working on.” ― The worst part is that Marie is a little bit happy about it.
‘Mou~ Put some clothes on already!’ she said, admiring Greg’s muscles!
They are useless.
The last one is Chris, who also walks around the house ― in a half-naked loincloth.
Even though he wears a happi coat as his top, he never wears anything but his underwear on the bottom.
He never misses cleaning and preparing the bath every day as if he is obsessed with something. Now he is working hard. However, plus-minus zero for walking around half-naked!
Except for Jilk, there is no actual harm so I can’t say anything about the situation.
That Jilk is harmless as far as the eye can see.
His everyday life is great enough to serve as a model, but it’s a big negative because he was more susceptible to scams or to engage in fraudulent activities.
In other words, Jilk is garbage.
The others are harmless but subtle.
Who would have thought this would happen?
Until last year, they were supposed to be the nobles that everyone admired, but their end was so bad that it was not even funny.
Thinking that she is taking care of such five idiots, I can be kind to Marie.
My little sister of a previous life who seduced the five idiots to be able to live high on the hog by relying on the strategy information from that otome game, Marie ―― now taking care of the five idiots who have become such problematic children.
Because all five of them are idiots, Marie has a hard time taking care of them.
The misfortune of others is the taste of honey! I can be kind to Marie too.
“If you don’t like them, why did you force yourself to make them wear clothes?”
I suggest that Greg and Chris put some clothes on. ―― Why am I suggesting them to wear clothes?
Originally, I hate them, even though they were enemies.
Noelle shook her head in confusion at my suggestion.
“Can we stop on that?”
The season is still winter.
And yet, I didn’t expect to be bothered by a bunch of idiots half-naked in a mansion.
“Oh, by the way, I’d like to get some fruit, I didn’t see it in the note. Leon, do you mind if I just check one more place?”
“Luggage carrier will silently obey.”
That’s what it’s like to be a boy in the Kingdom of Horfalt. However, It’s different in the Commonwealth, apparently.
“It’s okay, I’ll carry it. I don’t feel like letting Leon be the only one to carry the stuff.”
Hearing Noelle’s heartwarming statement, I got teary-eyed.
Ah~, the Commonwealth is wonderful! Seeing my tears of emotion, Noelle gave me a complicated look on her face.
” ― Sometimes I think about it, how can you be moved by something so ordinary?”
“Because I feel Noelle’s normal, saintly compassion.”
How many times have we had this conversation? Noelle asked, “Are the women of the kingdom that bad? Those two were good people, though?” I nodded my head.
The number of native women Noelle has met is too small to count.
Besides, Ange and Livia are the rare exceptions among girls in the Academy of Horfalt Kingdom.
Girls of the Kingdom ―― Don’t compare them to the few girls from the Baroness to the Counts.
“It’s some of the girls that are bad. No, it was, wasn’t it?”
“It was? Why is it in the past tense?”
“Because it was improved before I came here to study abroad.”
“Improved?”
Due to a variety of reasons, the school is now correcting its extreme matriarchy ―― there should be.
Before I saw the results, I went to study in the Arzel Commonwealth, so what’s happening now? I don’t even know.
Noelle looks for a stall that sells fruit, finds it, and moves on. The fruits are all fresh, but Noelle wants to choose the best of them.
House Lespinasse - A large noble family that used to be a part of Arzel Commonwealth when it was one of the seven great noble houses.
Noelle, a survivor of the Lespinasse House, is actually a princess, and watching her compare the fruits at the morning market gives me a strange feeling.
“Uncle, give me this and this!”
Noelle selects the fruit he wants to buy, and the shopkeeper packs it into a bag.
The shopkeeper glanced at me behind Noelle and put one of the fruits in a bag without asking for it.
“This is service for the two of you who seem to get along so well. Brother, you got a nice girl. I envy you.”
Noelle and I looked at each other and smiled in trouble as the shopkeeper opened his big mouth and laugh at us.
It was a kind gesture from the shopkeeper. It’s a good thing that the shopkeeper was so kind as to offer us a favor, and we didn’t want to spoil it by denying it.
We grabbed our bags and walked towards the mansion.
Is the time around 9 o’clock? It seemed that a lot of time had passed while I was looking around. I hadn’t even had breakfast, so I was starving.
However, Noelle seems to be more than that. She is concerned about what the shopkeeper said.
Her cheeks turned slightly red, as if embarrassed ― and she began to speak quickly.
“I-I didn’t expect to be seen as lovers. Ahaha ―― D-Did it annoy you?”
It’s not annoying. It’s just that Noelle is probably more annoyed than I am.
“I’m fine. But I’m sure Noelle was more annoyed than me?”
“Eh? T-That’s not true!”
I look at Noelle, who strongly denies it, and think.
It must be some kind of mistake for such a nice girl to fall in love with a guy like me.
The day will come when Noelle will wake up and find a suitable partner.
That’s what I believe.
At least, I’m not worthy of Noelle.
Ange and Livia? Those two are strange and wonderful women who willingly chose a man like me.
―― What would have happened if I had met Noelle first?
As we walk around the city, I see coffee shops with open terraces in the morning.
Since it was a holiday, I can see couples in the morning.
The lovers looked happy, as if they were planning where to go for fun. The lone man near them looked uncomfortable, which made me feel closer to him.
“It looks like they’re having a lot of fun this early in the morning.”
When I said that, Noelle stopped and tried to say something ―― but she closed her mouth.
“What’s up?”
“I-It’s nothing! Let’s go back quickly. Marie-chan and the others are waiting for us.”
Noelle is about to leave, so now I look at the café.
“You can keep them waiting. Let’s eat first. I’ll brag to Marie when I get home.”
If I told her I had eaten out on my way home from the morning market, she would probably envy me to the point of gnashing her teeth. ―― Is Marie, who is envious of this degree, really happy now?
She used to say things like, “I don’t want to cook for myself, so I’m going to eat out.”
I don’t understand the world.
I took Noelle’s hand and invited her to the café, told the waiter we were alone, and sat down. As the waitress brought us our menus, Noelle put down her luggage and started talking to me.
The reason she seemed restless was probably because there were so many couples around.
“Ahahaha, somehow, sorry.”
“It’s okay. I’m hungry too. I think I’ll have a big meal.”
“If you eat so much, you can’t get breakfast.”
“I’m growing up, so I’m fine.”
Young is amazing. I’m hungry no matter how much I eat.
As I look at the menu, Luxion says in a voice only I can hear.
[It’s hard to judge because you’re a coward but bold. Well, even if you could create this situation, you would still be a coward because you wouldn’t make a move in the end.]
――This guy is really noisy.
I looked at Noelle and saw that she was looking at the menu and wondering, “Hmmm, maybe this? But I don’t want to eat too much.” It was cute to see her earnestly looking at the menu and worrying.
When she raised her face from the menu, she saw my face.
When I saw her face turn red, I felt sad why I couldn’t do this in my previous life. No, I’m happy now, so I’m not complaining.
“Don’t look because it’s embarrassing.”
“Eh, embarrassed about what?”
“—about me who was seriously thinking what to eat.”
Noelle shyly said that, and I laughed.
“Why are you laughing!?”
“No, it was cute. Now, shall we order.”
Noelle looked sullen, but her voice sounded happy.
“Leon is really mean, and you’re more womanizer than you said.”
“I’m a good young man who is late bloomer and kind.”
” ―― Isn’t it a lie? You were the worst when you deceived Louise.”
Although she called me the worst, Noelle didn’t blame me any more than she already did.
“To be honest, it was hard for me, telling lies for people. Comfort me.”
“It’s so refreshing to see you open up. ―― Well, I don’t mind, though.”
I raised my hand and called for a waiter. Then, a lone male customer in the café glared at me and clicked his tongue. Apparently, it was only me who felt close to him.
He seems to think we’re lovers.
Luxion mutters.
[You seem to be having a lot of fun. ―― May I count this as an affair?]
I’ll ask you to stop. Didn’t I just have breakfast with my close friend.