In one of the rooms of the royal palace.
"I see you've aged since we last met, Mayer."
"Hahaha, as teasing as ever, Emma."
An old man, gray hair, closed eyes and wrinkles on his forehead and hands, dressed in minister's robes, sat in his office laughing.
He was Mayer von Ritzburg, the prime minister of Altfode Kingdom.
Opposite him was an old woman, but much younger than him.
She was well dressed, her eyes were purple with graying brown hair. She wore a blouse with padded sleeves and a white tie around her neck. She wore a long skirt and leather boots with heels.
She belonged to a house of barons, her name was Emma van Brehmer.
Mayer had invited a woman who was familiar with etiquette and conduct.
Previously employed in the palace under the position of head maid, the leader of all the girls.
They were reminiscing about the past.
"It's unbelievable that handsome blonde-haired boy who used to hunt the skirts of the maids became the prime minister."
"Stop, those were different times. Besides, I was an immature young man."
Mayer and this woman were related not only because of their youth, but for another reason.
"How is your family?"
"My little Katerina finally became a mother. Now Serena's children will have cousins."
"That's good, family is always important."
Emma looked with a sad face at Mayer.
"Mayer... stop blaming yourself, you know it wasn't your fault, right?"
Mayer, despite having his eyes closed looked at that woman.
"If... that day I wouldn't have told your sister to go pick him up."
"If only I hadn't taken that bribe and then punished that nobleman..."
Emma looked at Mayer who was smiling bitterly.
"What happened to my sister and nephew was not your fault."
"Of course it was. He told me he found something he wanted to show me personally, but I ignored him for working."
"Even when the accident happened, I was working and the maid who came to notify me about it, I told her to leave... it was all my fault."
"Mayer..."
The prime minister's life in the game was a matter of no importance. The only thing he had programmed was his sense of justice, so that way, Liam and Airi would help him.
"For that reason, I want to clean up the filth in this country. That's why we need 'him'."
Mayer's expression changed to a very serious one and Emma's eyes widened in surprise.
"Hoh? By him you mean that guy you were telling me about, right? The Hero of the Realm, isn't he?"
"Indeed. Rudel-kun─ Count Bradford is what this country always needed."
Mayer recalled his days where cleaning the country of filth was very difficult.
Then one day news arrived at his office door.
An upstart nobleman from the countryside defeated the son of a duke, other important young men and mainly the crown prince.
That upset Mayer, he thought it was another enemy they had.
But, after learning more details of why he did it. That fascinated him to the point that he pleaded for him so that he would not punish him.
Some time later he met that boy. He was a strange, vulgar, disrespectful and, above all, perverted boy. He spent his days harassing the Queen.
Mayer did not understand what was so good about harassing an older, married woman. If it were a servant girl or a daughter of an important house, it would have made sense to him.
Emma protested.
"Do you trust that boy that much? I've heard nothing but bad rumors about him."
"Certainly the count is not the person you would most want to meet in your life, but there is no denying the fact that we have him to thank for saving us during the crisis of the Kingsfort coup d'état and the war with the commonwealth."
"Didn't you tell me you were very angry with him about that fake saint?"
He was silent for a few moments and then spoke.
"I'm certainly mad at him. Well, I was, he brought a new problem. That boy is a bomb everywhere he goes. But despite those disasters, he always brings us benefits. We were in financial trouble, but thanks to his dispute with Aster, we got a large and generous reward for his trouble."
"Why do you look happy like you're showing off your grandson, huh?"
"Hehehe, after many things we went through together, I've come to like him as my own flesh and blood. Besides, we both have a special trait that identifies us."
Like Rudel, Mayer had his iris colored black like his pupils, it looked like a big black dot. That's why he closed his eyes.
"Is that so? Maybe, just maybe, I'll accept your proposal."
Emma was a woman who worked in royal palace etiquette for several decades.
She was even Lecia's mentor when she came to the kingdom several years ago.
"I'd really like it if you did."
"Does it really matter much to teach that boy manners? I know he's a hero, but he's still a peasant. If I remember correctly, it's that same boy who brought several offenses to the royal family and especially to you, ministers. He even bit his father-in-law's hand."
Mayer's expression changed slightly to irritable at what Emma said.
She sighed a little and said to him.
"You still don't trust the dukes?"
"... After learning that what was hidden under the palace was the reason Kingsfort betrayed us, I can't get the others out of my mind. We were able to get the Talis Household back, but not that it really matters that much."
"Belmont left his territory. He almost frequently comes over. We know he was a close friend of Balzac, and that he justified that some of what he said about receiving help from a duke was false, but for that reason I can't trust him. He defended him during the trial."
"Then there is Bismarck."
"... I remember meeting the duke's wife and daughter once. When that girl was sent to the palace to learn etiquette because of how unruly she was, Her Majesty, Lecia-sama asked me exclusively that she wanted to take charge of her education."
"Years later that girl grew up as a perfect figure of manners and behavior of the high nobility. I was truly proud of her."
"But isn't that girl the fiancé of that count?"
"Yes. That's why I didn't trust Bismarck."
"Emma, you've never seen an angry Bismarck. Those eyes... those red eyes when they look at something with anger or longing, those are things you want to forget. I still remember that day, the former head of Bismarck Household got angry with a knight. The magic power that emanated along with those flames, was the reason to know that the Bismarcks were not people you can tame."
"But, the duke is a man who was also a victim of past injustices."
"No doubt, but that same duke got something no one else will ever have. A son-in-law with the power to conquer a country. If that boy were ambitious or malevolent, this country before it was destroyed would have been conquered. Fortunately it is not so, and I am partly glad of it."
"The mother of a maid I trained belongs to the duke's household, her daughter told her all about what she and the count experienced together. At first, it seemed like a fantasy story to me, but that ended up turning into a fairy tale."
"... It is true that Siegwald's daughter is an irreplaceable friend to him. The Count's ´familiar´ showed me some things called ´video recordings´ where they did their best to save him when he was declared a traitor. I can certainly say that's true love... but."
"But?"
Mayer looked sternly at Emma with wide eyes.
"That doesn't take away from the fact that boy is under Bismarck's hands. If... I would have just been quick and made him engage one of those families."
"You're talking about the other five families?"
"Four are now. The Easton Household, the chief and his heir, Curtis-kun, were executed by order of Balzac, despite being his uncle-in-law he executed them mercilessly."
"If I'm not mistaken... those four houses possess a small part of the royal family's blood, don't they?"
"Yes, don't you remember?"
"In the past, different kings had secret mistresses, but those children were dear to them, so, they kept them secret and made them low-ranking nobles."
"After the war, the Queen informed me to notify them of their origins, surely you know them because you and the Queen were close in your youth."
"Those families were: the Tudor Household that works in the palace, the Frazer Household that guards our borders, the Roseblaire Household that became part of my faction again, and..."
Mayer's mouth made Emma startle.
"Redgrave Household."
"Wait! Redgrave Household, really!!? I was unaware of them, but... that they really were."
"Yes, originally I wanted their daughter and the count to be engaged, since, it seems, she was attracted to him."
"For that reason, Emma, would you help me?"
She looked at Mayer warily.
"Geez, I feel like you've turned into a wicked old man, but, I'll do it. It will be a challenge to teach a brat about manners. And, when do I start?"
"Next year. Before that, I'd like you to go to Aster as an ambassador, I already asked 'him' to go too, but he said the academy is priority."
"So ´he´, huh?"
"The academy needs a change, the future of our country lies there."
◇◇◇
In a large room of the academy, there was a large group of people gathered.
They were students and teachers sitting together.
As the summer vacation came, students had free time, some teachers too.
Those people present did not, because they were personally requested by the new principal, Rudel's Tea and Etiquette Mentor.
A man whom Rudel himself recognized as an existence of the utmost respect and education.
Rudel always said he wanted to be a great man like him, but his aptitude showed that he was far from it.
Alisa was sitting in the center.
She was reviewing documents while Rudel had his audience with Their Majesties.
A girl approached Alisa with several documents.
Her tousled hair was pulled back in two braids behind her head, the color was strawberry blonde, a strange, natural pinkish color.
Her left eye was covered by her hair and despite that, she had glasses that hid her beautiful blue-green eyes.
"E-Err, L-Lady Alicelotte, here I have what you requested!"
The girl belonged to a marquis house that fell into ruin, her name was Wendy Harvey.
Alisa received the documents from Wendy, inadvertently, noticing that she did not have the documents attached to her body, she observed that, despite her stature and curved back, she had two large bulges.
(They really are big.)
(Never mind, it's not like Rudel was going to make contact with her anyway.)
Once Wendy stepped back, she tripped over her own feet.
"Err, I'm so sorry!"
She was apologizing to a chair, her glasses fell off and she couldn't see anything.
Alisa laughed inside as this girl reminded her of herself when she was studying manners with Lecia.
Then, footsteps approached her.
Alisa shifted her gaze to those footsteps and her smile disappeared.
She watched a woman walking towards her.
That woman was looked at by the students and teachers in a way that they disguised to do so.
She was also carrying documents, but the way she was doing it caused Alisa discomfort.
In a sensual way, a woman in her twenties, dressed in a secretary's uniform, heels, blue blouse with a white striped shirt, black pantyhose and an extremely short skirt down to her thighs, was the object of her displeasure.
Not only was she beautiful, her light brown hair was in a braided bun with a fringe covering her forehead, her beautiful aquamarine eyes made her look like a doll.
"Here is what you requested, Miss Bismarck."
The woman was part of a house of viscounts who fell into disgrace, as they wanted to flee during the war, they were innocent, but not lending their aid during the crisis was the reason for their ruin.
She is Rosetta Belfast, a teacher who taught Alisa last year.
This year she has not taught them as she is in charge of helping the principal.
As she received the papers, Rosetta emphasized her huge breasts uncovered by not closing her buttons properly.
Alisa knew why she did it.
Earlier this year, she approached her after requesting a meeting.
Alisa gladly agreed, but she didn't imagine what she would say.
"Miss Bismarck, you are engaged to the Hero of the Realm, aren't you?"
"That's right, Rudel is my fiancé, why?"
Rosetta smiled, as she crossed her arms, her huge breasts were purposely lifted.
"You see~, the prime minister sent for my father. Upon his return, my father informed me to report this to you."
"...?"
With a cheek-to-cheek smile, Rosetta said.
"He asked me to tell you if I could become his fiancé's second concubine! Since, he heard the Count Bradford is a very selective man with women, it is said that he goes after only women with a large bust. So, I wonder if you would like your fiancé to have company when you are not available─"
"Out."
Rosetta couldn't finish what she was saying as Alisa shushed her.
Her beautiful red eyes were very intense, her hair rising from her magical power that filled the room.
"S-Sorry?"
"I told you to get out of my sight, at this instant."
Her eyes were bloodshot.
"Rudel doesn't need any more women than me and Airi. We're happy the three of us together, and I won't allow a fourth wall in our love triangle."
Immediately Rosetta ran away from there.
The next day, Alisa apologized to her, but with her smile she told her not to ask that question again.
Days later, a letter came to her from the palace saying the same thing.
"Don't you wish to have a concubine for the count?"
Airi didn't know, but Bell who was present did.
Bell watched as Alisa burned that letter to ashes.
It wasn't just one, several were.
Even the palace contacted his father and brother for dialogue.
They both said the same thing. "Take it up with her, we will stay out of their relationship."
Rudel's family was not mentioned as Rudel himself is the head of his own family branch.
Alisa was the legal wife, if they wanted to talk anything with him, they had to go over her.
The wall called the villainess daughter was indirectly fulfilling her role of making others suffer.
Once she received the documents, Alisa thanked her.
Rosetta smiled at her, making her huge breasts bounce.
Before telling her, "Get the fuck out." Another girl approached Alisa.
There should be no further disturbance
But, a voice spoke to her from behind.
"Good morning, Alicelotte, do you know if Rudel-san is back yet?"
Alisa's discomfort this time showed on her face.
She slowly turned her head to look at the beauty who spoke to her.
"Alicia..."
Behind Alisa, stood a very beautiful student. Her long wavy silky hair was orange yellow, she had a long braid on the left side that joined her hair tied on the same side and part of her forehead was covered by her hair.
A ribbon in the shape of a bunny gave a childish touch to her elegant aura, on the opposite side of her hair, she had an accessory in the shape of a blue feather.
Her eyes were so beautiful and were heterochromatic, on the right side; a cherry red eye and on the left side, an ice blue eye.
Both emanated an aura of royalty, that's because this girl had two different types of royal blood running through her veins.
She was the second daughter of one of the four families next in importance to the families with royal blood, a very important marquis house, Alicia von Redgrave was.
And she...
"Just because we're cousins, doesn't mean you have to talk to me."
She was a blood relative of Alisa's.
A cousin on the side of one of her relatives.
"I know. But, I'd like to ask you a favor."
"No."
"But!"
"I told you no, please don't bother me."
Alicia was a character in the game, she was Alisa's replacement as the developers after eliminating the villainess, realized they could have gotten her into Liam's harem.
It was too late for Alisa, but not for her cousin. Who possessed blood of the extinct Bismarck Household through her veins.
The reason Alicia was bothering Alisa was simple.
Months ago, during the cruise ship attack, Alicia was going to die.
But, she was saved by Rudel.
That day, inside Alicia, a flame arose. It was love at first sight, since that day, she was trying to find a way to talk to Rudel.
But she had a fiancé, it was wrong that, so she wrote a letter to Rudel to meet once and talk.
Back then, women could openly have lovers.
The problem was the heir she had.
Fortunately, that deal for women is over.
They were still allowed to have mistresses, but the Kingdom was not responsible for it, nor were the houses concerned.
Alice's fiancé ran away with his family, her family thought she was sad as they were childhood friends.
But she was glad about it.
Now, she had an excuse and reason to talk to Rudel.
She asked her father if she could set up a meeting with him.
Unfortunately, after the war came the engagement of Rudel and Alisa.
Alicia knew Alisa from the parties they went to together.
But, that didn't mean they had a good relationship.
Redgrave Household and Bismarck Household were united through a political marriage.
But when they learned that their blood had some of the royal family in it, they cut their ties.
Alisa was upset with them for that, for cutting an alliance to form their own faction.
For that, she was angry with them.
But it got worse the day where Alicia approached her in Airi's presence, that if she would like Rudel to have another concubine.
In the end, Alisa didn't speak to her.
"Alicelotte, you are behaving in a very rude manner."
"I don't care. I told you no. No is no, get lost, I'm busy."
"You know, he has the right to choose his mistresses, not you. If you're really his future wife, you should manage his partners well."
Alisa banged the table very hard.
"Rudel doesn't need mistresses, he has us! We're fine like this!"
She walked out of the room very annoyed.
"Bell!"
"Yes?"
Bell appeared from the roof and perched on Alisa's right shoulder.
"Where is Airi? We need to talk urgently."
"She's with the scholarship students in the dungeon."
Alisa paused.
"Airi is where─!"
◇◇◇
The dungeon of the academy.
A cave-like subway place within the grounds of it.
A group of students decided to spend their vacation venturing into islands.
But they couldn't since it was expensive.
So they went to the academy's dungeon, to practice and gain riches.
Some of the teachers even went adventuring for extra financial gain.
Two groups of two dozen students were walking down a cold tunnel with their torches.
Among them were two characters from the game.
They were part of the new trio of freshmen according to the second-year plot.
One of them was dressed in leather clothes and tights. He held a crossbow in his hand and a loader on his back.
He was good looking, his black hair was so long and silky that it reached his back, his dark gray eyes reflected his calm personality.
His skin was very pale, but that did not mean he had a disease.
He belonged to the lower nobility as he was the son of a wealthy merchant recognized by the palace.
His name was Dominique Ainsley.
Dominique's eyes were looking straight ahead, to be exact, at his partner.
A tall, muscular boy, tanned skin, long silver hair that reached to the nape of his neck and was tied in a bun, his eyes were dark green.
He was a commoner, his name was Darryl.
And both of them, they were Liam's allies.
They both participated (in the game) in the war against Bismarck Household, and upon joining the academy were part of Liam's personal army.
But none of that happened.
At least for Dominique.
Her family just focused on replenishing supplies.
But Darryl was different, he stowed away on a feudal lord's ship.
He was about to die, but was saved because a strange black airship was destroying islands while fighting a strange black creature.
"So this is what the academy dungeon looks like, it's very different from the one I went to."
"You went to one before?"
"Yes, but it was small and there was no way how to go on."
Darryl was conversing with a boy, he was shorter than him, his brown hair was very dry and his beautiful emerald green eyes radiated seriousness.
It was Fritz, the last of the main characters in the game.
Fritz had to repeat the school year because he was absent for several months due to being in a coma in the infirmary.
"By the way, Fritz."
"Tell me."
Fritz would accompany the new students to the dungeon because these kids were troublemakers, for commoners they were very unruly and disrespectful. There were noble children who were like that, but that didn't matter to him.
He also wanted to become stronger, since, months ago he observed an eyesore.
War.
To be more exact, he watched as a huge black machine, took the life of an enemy soldier.
In Fritz's heart, he could not forgive such a wicked act.
For, Fritz was as Liam should be.
An ally of justice.
For that reason, Fritz enters the academy dungeon every chance he gets, hoping that there is something that will help him become stronger. So strong, that he can stop wars.
Darryl pointed at Fritz.
"Hey, is it true she has a boyfriend?"
In front of all of them stood a girl dressed as an adventurer, she had a mace at her waist and a torch in her hand.
She was smiling despite being in a dark place.
It was Airi.
Airi was leading the new students as it was her duty as a guide.
It wasn't the first time she came to the dungeon alone.
But, she was usually accompanied with another group of girls.
This time she was alone.
Days before going to Aster, a group of students asked her permission from the guide to enter the dungeon.
She gladly accepted as it was her duty.
Part of the reason for going in there was because they wanted a chance to show off in front of her.
There were many bad kids who tried to target Airi, many knew that, Airi did not.
But for some reason those kids left the academy.
Darryl was one of the kids who wanted to show off in front of Airi.
The reason was because she was charming.
She smiled at everyone with an honest smile.
Her good morning greeting showed her interest in people.
But most of all, her short skirt while running from time to time showed her underwear.
At the same time her breasts pranced.
With her soft and comfortable aura, it made her an ideal girlfriend.
Darryl was popular on his island and experienced, but a girl like Airi made his heart pound just to see her.
He and other guys wanted to show off in front of her.
Airi told them.
"Guys, we came to a calm area, we can rest."
Calm areas were large spaces where monsters didn't enter, they didn't know the reason, but they knew it was a calm area because of the large space there.
It was the size of a small baseball stadium.
Airi placed everyone's torches around to sit together and eat.
Airi was a regular cook, but her desire to help and be helpful was bigger than her.
She made them all bologna and cheese sandwiches.
The boys were happy, murmuring as they received their sandwich.
"Hey, she's really cute, and I don't mean just physically, her personality is really nice."
"No doubt she is, we brought our own food, but she prepared food for all of us, and, besides, look, every single one of them was prepared with love!"
"I'll go to confession this instant and ask her to be my wife!"
"No, I will go and ask her!"
"No, it will be me!"
"Idiots."
A voice came near them, it was Dominique, who was eating his own lunch.
"She supposedly has a boyfriend, doesn't she? It means she already has a man."
The boys looked at him in annoyance.
"So she says, but in the time we've seen her, she's never been with a guy."
"That's true! The one we have seen her hanging out with is the duke's daughter, but we can't approach her as she emanates a dangerous aura when she notices us."
"Maybe the two of them are a couple? It would be the normal thing to prevent your partner from being surrounded by others."
At that moment, the boys visualized a twisted image, where Airi was biting her pillow and Alisa was kissing her back.
Moments later their noses bled.
Dominique looked at them.
"This is why men are such idiots. Besides, what's so cute about her? I'm cuter─"
Suddenly, they heard a scream.
They all stood up, and in the distance they noticed a monster approaching rapidly from the front.
It was a red rhino, its eyes were yellow and its horn was black.
Airi was about to shout, "Watch out, everyone." When Darryl interrupted her.
"I don't know what a monster is doing in a safe zone, but never mind, I'll use this opportunity to show off!"
He pulled out two black gauntlets and put them on, the other students pulled out their weapons.
Dominique put arrows in his crossbow and they were imbued with magical power.
Fritz stood up and...
"An insignificant enemy like you is nothing."
He slit the rhino's throat.
Black liquid poured out in heaps.
Fritz's sword went through different monsters.
He was stronger than an average knight, but he lacked a school of swordsmanship to improve his style.
Darryl got annoyed with him and grabbed him by the neck.
"Hey Fritz! What the hell do you think you're doing, huh?"
"Sorry, I was walking around annoyed a bit, the next enemy we encounter will be for─"
Once again they were interrupted by the same sound.
A red rhino, much bigger than the previous one that was running straight towards them.
Quite the opposite of the previous rhino that was about to circle Darryl and keep going straight ahead.
Darryl got into position, but Dominique wasn't going to let him get hurt.
Since.
"You will not touch that perfect ass!"
Dominique was the kind of man who feels interest in other men.
He shot his arrows and they were all destroyed the moment they touched its body.
"How is that possible?"
Dominique shouted as Darryl ran straight at the monster.
"It serves to show off to her! Doryaaaaaaah!"
Darryl's fist was headed for the rhino, all over in an instant.
Darryl's arm was broken from touching the black horn and then went for the rhino's body.
It spat blood as it circled and Dominique ran towards it.
Fritz faced the rhino.
"So you're one of the dungeon bosses, are you?"
"Face me!"
Fritz's swift sword moved to hit the rhino from different places, but it was useless.
"Puah!"
Fritz was pierced by the black horn and then launched skyward, falling in a very painful way.
Not even a minute passed and two of his partners were defeated without any problems.
Darryl was screaming in pain while Fritz was bleeding to death on the ground.
No one could help them.
"Everyone, take cover!"
Except for her.
"I will defeat it!"
Airi stood up and screamed from the bottom of her heart.
She grabbed her mace, then muttered words as she imbued magic power into it.
"I, long ago promised. That I was going to help Rudel-san and Alisa, I'm not going to be a burden again. I swore that I would protect them with my own power from that day on the royal airship."
Airi became serious.
Her eyes glowed a golden color for some reason.
"I won't be a burden again! Eeeeeeeyyyyyyyyyy!"
She ran.
Airi ran straight at the rhino.
The rhino also ran towards her.
"Run away fast!"
"You can't beat it!"
"Please run away!"
Airi listened as the boys' screams begged her to run away, but she desisted from hearing them.
"Take thiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiis!"
Airi closed her eyes as her pure white mace, struck the rhino's horn.
The instant she touched it, it went flying through the air.
The mace continued its trajectory straight into the monster's face.
A loud sound was heard, it was the rhino's neck changing direction from the front to the sky.
The instant it was killed, it turned to ashes.
Airi opened her eyes and after seeing a yellow crystal fall to the ground, she jumped for joy.
Her breasts were just as joyful as she was.
Then she remembered the wounded.
She went straight to Fritz to heal him.
As she did so, Fritz seemed to faint from loss of blood.
But before his consciousness faded, he muttered.
"An angel?"
Once his stomach was healed, Airi turned to Darryl.
"Please hold on, I'll finish quickly."
A warm light emanated from Airi which returned the arm to its original position, Dominique watched in amazement, while Darryl who stopped screaming.
"A goddess..."
He uttered something that marked Airi's birth as a saint in the game after the war.
But that no one knew for sure.
It's not long now until we get to the best part of this volume!!!
To understand more about this chapter, read part 3 of the spin-off.
Wow, it looks like Alisa has a cousin...really where do all these relatives come from!?
Alisa has a cousin.
Rudel has a cousin from his previous life and a dead cousin.
But Airi has no one! The poor thing is lonelier than Bambi!