After being rescued by my family, negotiations began after the war.
The commonwealth was defeated, what will happen to them from now on will be horrible. But first I will start with the situation in the kingdom.
As many nobles, aristocrats, knights and ministers fled the kingdom, it was decided in plain and simple words.
"Fuck you idiots and don't come back!"
With my summary of the communiqué that was made via the printers and faxes I gave to the palace before I left to fight. Their relatives still in the capital and other parts of the kingdom were told to get the fuck out as well.
The traitors would not be pardoned or prosecuted.
They were simply threatened that they would be executed without a trial, their property, material goods and money both invested and kept, will pass to the palace.
On the surface it was cruel, but these idiots deserved it since they were trash.
To make it even sweeter for me, the term "aristocrat" was removed from the vocabulary of the kingdom, now there will only be nobles and the royal family.
No matter your court rank or status rank, you are a noble, period.
Those who did not come to the kingdom's call, those who presented excuses and those who said they were on their way, but never arrived. They are being questioned to find out if it is true.
Of course, many did not know how to lie and were punished with demotion in rank and half of their wealth to be given to the kingdom for another 100 years.
It all looks very strict, but it is Mayer-san who is leading this witch hunt.
I don't know why he's doing it, but Ixion told me that the nobles may rise up in retaliation, so the palace is granting new titles to new nobles.
After those who fled like rats, the punished and traitors. The number of nobles has dropped to the point that there are more commoners than them.
The palace was very frightened by this because if they find out; a coup d'état may occur after what happened with the insurrections.
To calm everyone down, it was communicated on a massive level that those who caused all this were the Marquis Balzac and the Kingsfort family, who were executed on the battlefield and burned in the same place.
Regarding the battlefield... I don't know how to explain that, but I will try.
I was informed that in all the borders they saw that Brunhilde was fighting against the strange creature that attacked us. Thanks to that, the enemies fled in terror and refused to return to attack.
Afterwards, many wanted to know what the hell it was that I fought against and even more the strange shields.
I told them the best credible excuse of all.
"It was a secret weapon created by the Kingsfort and the shields are a thing of my lost object, but it went down for good so.... questions answered!"
Many didn't understand what I told them, least of all me, but I didn't know or have any idea how to explain what those things were.
Ixion told me he would talk to me about the huge black thing and a possible explanation about the shields.
I still don't understand how my ring and the shields were related according to a report he gave.
I returned home to rest because of what happened, I mean the harassment of annoying old men, for some reason my mother and the commoners welcomed us with a big feast.
It doesn't make me happy to be welcomed like that, and the reason I cried was because of the tasty food waiting for me!
As usual, Lyle bragging about things he didn't do, Bram backing him up for some reason, my father enjoying the company of young girls while recounting the things I don't think they did, and my mother bashing him for flirting with other women.
It was a good night's rest no doubt, not counting my convulsions from the effects of the drugs I took of course, the next morning I had to go to the palace.
Now it's time to talk about the commonwealth... they got the worst of it.
I was in a meeting room observing something I could not believe, the king of the commonwealth was a little boy.
He looked younger than my sweet angel Pola-chan.
The boy was sitting on a chair listening to various statements dictated by Mayer-san.
I really felt weird, that old man always generated a good vibe of a kind grandfather to me.
But the clauses and deals after the surrender of the commonwealth only made me feel nauseous.
It didn't help that this brat was holding back tears while being surrounded by adults making him sign suspicious documents.
A guy with cyan-colored hair identical to a certain senpai I know was informing me of this.
The remaining relatives of the Kingsfort were executed instantly, they did not want that blood to reoccupy the territory, let alone interact with each other.
The commonwealth will have to pay an economic compensation of 75% of their annual income and 22% tax for the economic losses caused to the capital by those who escaped and the things they stole.
The remaining 1% is the land tax, as the Kingsfort territory will now belong to them, and the commonwealth will be erased to be a territory annexed to the kingdom under the name of the Duchy of Talis.
That is not good at all, despite having a larger territory, they must pay a tax and economic compensation impossible to achieve.
It is like having a capital of 10 gold coins and they want you to pay the tax of 1000 platinum coins in one week, no matter how hard you work, it will be impossible to achieve that.
The kingdom is expressing its resentment against the commonwealth which now no longer possesses its own identity.
By being part of the kingdom they have lost their own freedom, but they will not be citizens of the kingdom, which is to say that they are the same as undocumented people living in a country that not only does not want them, but also requires them to pay them to live there.
And, after learning that this country has famine and very limited harvests, it makes it even more impossible to pay what they are asking for.
It could be said that I condemned thousands or millions of people to live a hell on earth that only death could save them.
I watched without changing my expression as the ministers detailed the deal with the king, then officials of the commonwealth came in to speak.
I don't like at all the happy face that Mayer-san makes and even more with the other problem, the temple.
After what happened with Dixit who passed away, Balzac and the poor idiot Erselica. I found out that Mayer wanted to destroy the temple and have them controlled by the palace.
It was reported that Erselica was an imposter and deceived everyone.
There was a lot of resentment, but it was reported that it was all their fault and the others who escaped.
Currently, the temple is one foot away from destruction as there are no cardinals or anyone in high command left, only one guy who all the low ranking ones nominated as their representative.
It was also decided that the temple would lose not only the position they have in the court, but also the rank dictated by the long time king.
Those who support the temple will not receive any benefits or anything from the kingdom.
They will also lose the funds that the palace gave them, they will have to support themselves with the money of their faithful and what they put from their own pockets.
The most annoying issue of all is her, Erselica. After discovering that she was my cousin from my previous life, I was losing my appetite for what was going to happen to her according to Mayer.
The public execution of the imposter. She hurt me, she wanted to kill me, she is responsible for the rumors about me being a vandal and going into the women's bathroom among other things.
They were going to execute her for impersonating the one this kingdom prayed to.
Was I going to allow it?
Of course... no.
How the hell would I allow that!
Yes, I know that being a reincarnate and so is she, we are no longer related.
But what about the feelings I had for her? What about the good memories I have of her? And most of all, I would feel bad if this idiot who still has to beg me for forgiveness would be eliminated without doing so.
That is why I am here now in the palace, a hall where everyone meets to discuss important things, the place is beautiful and decorated with various flags of the houses to which the ministers belong, the flag of the kingdom and their seats.
There were many empty seats since many were traitors or escaped, now I had to dialogue with the ministers and Mayer about the release and forgiveness of that idiot.
Present false evidence that she was being extorted by Dixit and Balzac.
It was all done by Ixion who presented edited recordings of their conversations that never happened.
We had to delay her execution until almost the end of December to get everything ready.
And now... to save her ass.
"...Rudel-kun. Do you understand what this means?"
Mayer was questioning me because of the evidence I presented. He could tell he was really annoyed, his normally closed eyes were open staring at me.
"Yes. With this evidence, Ms. Reinfield does not need to be executed due to the fact that it was not her decision to get involved in all this, she was being threatened to hurt her late father. So I ask that she not be executed as it would be a crime against an innocent victim."
I could feel how everyone was looking at me and didn't seem to believe me, but it doesn't matter since the(false) evidence is on our side.
"Ru... Viscount Bradford-dono."
Mayer changed his tone with me suddenly.
"I remember you yourself, you told me that she would be executed since she was responsible for accusing you on many false charges among them, that she and the late traitor were in cahoots."
Normally in this situation, I would cringe as it reminded me of when my section chief would ask me why the report wasn't ready; when it wasn't my duty or job to do so, the bastard docked my pay.
I inhaled a little and exhaled before answering.
"I apply the same with the late traitor, I needed proof to see if it was true or not, no matter how much it bothered me, accusing her without proof is very immature of me."
I heard as someone seemed to laugh, it was Siegwald wiping his mouth with a handkerchief.
Don't laugh at me old man.
I looked at Mayer who didn't seem convinced until Siegwald spoke up.
"This doesn't seem to be going anywhere. Let's have him see if everything he says is true."
I looked at him and asked "what do you mean?". He gave me a terrifying smile as his hands were clasped together wickedly.
"Viscount, you presented infallible evidence no doubt, but the point is that she made a mockery of us whether she was innocent or not. And that is something we will not tolerate."
I don't like the way the conversation is going.
"Viscount, what are you willing to offer to save her?"
He is definitely taking revenge for what I said to him.
Once again, I inhale and exhale looking at him with my most serious face.
"What do you wish?"
His mouth moved to say something I had forgotten. This man is an adult like those who were at the top of a company, their thoughts and discussions are always about getting everything for themselves.
"We desire your island, that includes everything inland, no matter what it is, it will belong that territory to the kingdom."
No one protested or said anything, everyone was silent, I just watched him and his smile of victory that was evident.
I wanted to prove that everything I do to save her is false.
In this situation, I would have to refrain and say that I tried.
I can't bribe them as I have no money anymore, the machine to make money from the rocks was stored in my sunken airship. Do not have any way to get income other than through me island.
Before I gave my answer, I remembered the reason why her execution was postponed, and I used that opportunity to speak to her and, she said something that left me shocked....
◇
I was walking down the stairs to the subway prison of the palace.
There at the bottom, there were four people chained with their arms and legs in shackles.
I greeted the guard and asked him to come out, he listened to me, but he was very scared to see me.
"So, tell me, what the fuck happened up there?"
I was asking that question not to Erselica who was crying, but to the three annoying ones on her left.
They were three colors, three idiots who were beaten no matter who they were.
Those were...
"It's just as you heard Bradford. I will not allow this injustice."
Said the most idiotic color of all, Liam, who had a swollen face as the ministers themselves beat him mercilessly.
"It is as the prince says, it was an injustice."
"Even if they were our enemies, to do that to them is very cruel."
The red ape with its mouth swollen together with the green moss with purple eyes supported him.
"They are imbeciles aren't they, don't try to deny it, stupidity is in their souls."
"Don't try to flatter us, we did real justice." Liam was saying this with a serious and honest look of a very pure protagonist.
"I won't lie, it felt good to do a good deed." Chlust wiped the blood that kept running down his nose as he felt proud.
"No man would stand idly by after hearing those unfair statements." Frey was combing his hair trying to show off.
"What the hell are you two idiots talking about, it's not flattery! You, trio of morons know what you did! Or would you rather I remind you?"
The three of them looked at me as they didn't understand what happened.
To sum it up.
Right after Rafiel signed and the commonwealth officials came in, these three idiots got up from their seats and started beating up the foreign officials.
No matter how crazy it sounds or how many times I remember it, what the hell were they thinking!
The ministers got upset and beat them up since they were generating a bad image for the kingdom, no matter if they were defeated and humiliated enemies.
If the prince of a country proves that he is a barbarian, it means that his kingdom is also a barbarian. Which would mean that future negations with foreign countries would fall apart if this came to light.
They could eliminate the officials to prevent the rumor from spreading, but that would only generate that something happened and make things worse.
That's why everyone ran to beat them up. To make him much more of an idiot than he already is.
The idiot Liam and the other two shouted that they loved Erselica and if they wanted her executed, they would have to execute them too.
I was informed that after locking him up he was once again stripped of his crown prince title and worse, he is no longer a prince; but just another nobleman until he stops being an idiot.
The other two idiots were beaten by their parents, apparently they were saddened by the death of Erselica's father, they cried as they beat their children and disinherited them.
Now the three idiots were just simple nobles.
"I'd like to know how their brains thought for a moment, that something like that would work to help the commonwealth? No, wait, I don't want to know! It sure is an even stupider thing to do than it is!"
These guys scare me, their stupidity is not normal, it scares me to think what the future holds for them.
I was holding my head trying to understand them until Liam spoke up.
"Bradford, can you tell us what you're doing with that person?"
Liam was referring to the one who had been by my side since I got here.
"I just wanted to see them and ask them the same thing."
That person was Rafiel.
"Just like the viscount, I would like to know what they were thinking to do that? Instead of helping us; they made the situation worse, but for you. The viscount was going to help me anyway."
The three idiots answered in unison the same thing.
"Huh? Really?"
I looked at them while scratching my head due to the emotional stress of hearing them.
"It's impossible for them to be able to pay what they are asking for and be able to eat; so I told Ixion to deliver some artifact for them so they can live off the land and be able to trade it."
I remembered that these three harassed Ixion when they saw him in the secret hangar, he got upset and electrocuted them as he couldn't stand them.
The three were shocked as they watched with their stupid faces how great and benevolent I was.
Seeing Liam's face, I remembered when I told him and Alisa about Klein's death.
I tried to embellish it a bit so they wouldn't think I was a scumbag until the end, even though I was.
Liam seemed to believe it, though he was hesitant at first, Erselica tried to spoil him and it seems the idiot took the opportunity to fall on her flat chest to be spoiled, the other two got jealous.
As for Alisa, she just smiled at me and said "thank you".
I wondered if that smile was a good thing or a bad thing.
Back to these idiots, Erselica was still crying.
I went downstairs and approached her.
She raised her head as I called out to her and she ran to grab my shirt between the bars.
"Onii-chan, please help me, I don't want to die!"
I wanted to yell at her.
(Don't call me like that in front of everyone, they'll think badly!)
But I kept quiet since it would be much worse to answer him, so I'll ignore what he said.
"Even if I wish, your situation is really annoying, thanks to these idiots you have bought yourself extra days of life since the ministers are rewarding and apologizing to the foreign emissaries."
(Your situation is really bad so sorry, I don't think I can do anything for-)
My thought was interrupted by the following he said.
"If you don't help me, I won't tell you about the next danger coming in the second year!"
"Danger... what do you mean?"
I asked quietly since they all looked curious.
"The shitty knight that one is dead, so it must be game over by now."
In the same tone she replied.
"Bandel was a threat, but what's coming next will be much worse than him. We'll all die if we don't stop him, so, if you want to save yourself and those girls, you must save me too!"
◇
(Just remembering that I was extorted by a little pest...makes me really sick).
After remembering why I was doing this, it gave me an anger that was best discarded, so I answered them uninterestedly.
"You want my territory? Have it."
They were all shocked, even Siegwald himself who asked.
I kept telling them to keep more of my stuff.
"You want my family's workshop and shipyard? It's in my father's name, so my brother inherited it and I didn't, so I'm sorry you can't have it."
"Since I'll be demoted soon, why don't they keep my noble title as well? After all, I don't even want to be one. I'll look for a new unexplored island as a commoner, since no one is forbidden to venture out regardless of their status."
Everyone started muttering after that, for some reason, Siegwald just looked at me and his face was serious.
While Mayer...
"Viscount Bradford."
He was giving me a look that clearly showed to be annoyed.
"Do you know what I hate most in this world?"
I replied "no." As he said.
"I hate betrayal and even more so when you stretch out your hand to someone and they bite it without remorse."
I knew what those words meant, but I can't back out now.
"It's a shame really, Mayer."
"Call me Prime Minister Ritzburg, Viscount."
I looked him in the eye when he said that.
"It is a pity and a nuisance indeed to say this. But, the palace will accept as a bargain your island and title in exchange for pardoning the impostor, but, it will be only a sabbatical year that you can be free from her execution!"
So after sacrificing my territory and title she's only guaranteed a year to live, huh?
I turned around and spoke as I walked.
"It's a done deal it seems. In one year I'll bring them a big gift so they won't bother her anymore and... I guess I won't belong to any faction anymore?"
"Believe that I will not allow you to join any."
His words were cold and cutting, I put my hands in my pockets and gave my last words.
"See you at the demotion ceremony. I'll start looking for where I can get a new place to live."
I opened the door and walked out of there, never to enter again. And just like that, that's how I destroyed my future and my best ally by saving her ass.
◇
I walked quietly down the corridor, the sunset was beautiful.
No doubt this beautiful day, she never imagined it would end in this horrible way.
"Is this right?"
Who was asking that question was Ixion who has been hiding all this time hearing everything.
"What are you talking about?"
I asked him.
"Handing over the island that you painstakingly found, and that I worked hard for the future resort it was supposed to become, now vanished."
"...Are you upset?"
"You make my processor overheat, so I will no longer try to think about your crazy thoughts."
"Sorry."
I offered my sincerest apology.
"But... where will you live now?"
"Well, I don't think we have to worry about that for now after what I heard, since soon-"
I heard footsteps approaching, Ixion disappeared as I turned to see who it was, I observed her, the Queen. coming along with some maidservants.
"Good afternoon, Hero of the Realm."
"Good afternoon my Queen, I don't deserve to be called that."
I bowed respectfully to greet her.
As always, she is radiant and beautiful.
"Did you just come out of a meeting with the ministers?"
"Yes, just now I was closing a deal with them. And you, where were you headed?"
"I was also to talk to them about what will happen from now on to inform Her Majesty."
"..."
"Is something wrong?"
I asked since she suddenly lost her smile.
"Viscount- Rudel-kun. could I take some of your time? There's something I'd like to tell you."
I was speechless from what I heard, but, that means that's it, right?
By "that" I mean "it"!
"I have all the time in the world if you want it!"
I unwittingly agreed in a way that made me sound like a weirdo.
◇
We entered a private room without her maids.
This made me feel more anxious. I never expected that I was really going to have "it" happen in my life.
But, if she asks me in a private room, it had to be important.
After serving her tea that I prepared, she started talking.
"Rudel-kun, do you know why the Kingsfort did all this?"
Something that wasn't what I expected, my disappointment didn't show on my face, but life is cruel to me and I must get used to it.
"No. They wanted the crown since they were bastards, wasn't that supposed to be the reason for starting the war?"
She looked at me and spoke something shocking.
"Let me tell you a secret that no one but me and my husband know. This not even Mayer knows, not even the other dukes."
"It all started when the Saint named the royal family before she died. The kingdom needed land, that's where the first family of dukes came from, the Talis."
I had heard from Ixion that Rafiel's family originated from the kingdom, but to hear that this Saint was no fairy tale... and even more so after learning from Erselica that Airi would become the next female Saint... it was astounding.
"The Talis had gained much of the territories, noble titles started to spread all over the world, my land also went through a great change as the system was different back then."
Who knew, the Queen is a foreigner.
"Right after marrying them off to a daughter of the king from several generations ago, that's where they came in, the Kingsfort."
The thing seems to be more serious now.
"They came directly from royal blood, they were considered stand-ins in case the main branch fell. Sometime later, another branch came along, but of less clean blood, the Belmont's."
I've heard that surname a lot, but who are they?
"The Belmont's locked themselves in their territory to protect our borders. The kingdom was already growing larger and that's where that happened."
"That?"
"What do you mean by that?" I wanted to ask her, but she answered me before ask.
"Do you know the origin of our middle name and the reason for having it?"
"Yes. It's the first thing I was taught to know the difference in status and how you can move up."
"Right. That's all a lie."
"...Huh? My Queen, what are you talking about, a lie?"
What did I just hear?
She stared at me as she spoke.
"You must know about the king's younger brother they called 'van' right?"
I replied a little fearfully, "yes...".
"That younger brother was actually the chief of that time of the Kingsfort, they were exiled due to trying to get their hands on that, the legacy of the Saint to the royal family."
He listened intently to the cruel truth that increased in level.
"They tried to take over that ship, Liebe was it not? But they couldn't, the king decided to punish them and his punishment was exile and creating a line that separated those who held power and those who served them."
He continued to listen without making a sound.
"My land and the kingdom were allies back then, they decided to call 'van' those who are disposable puppets for the 'von', those who rule. In the ancient language of my land, van is a mule and von is its rider."
My mouth was trying to open at what I heard.
(So all this time we have been a mockery to the kingdom!)
"The palace of that time decided to have on their side those who are loyal to them and those they can keep in check. It was there that they implemented the court ranks and two false noble titles. The earl and margrave, so the low nobles could feel important having a false title that was erased from the whole world beforehand."
"Because of that, the barons and viscounts were the useless, country nobles who protect the frontier and can be replaced, the important ones were the burgesses and adventurers of high caliber who became earls with their found riches. But even they were not spared from the royal family who took great pleasure in mocking others. A change was made in history and education, the academy was created and gradually grew from one educational institution to three. Thanks to the fact that the barons to margraves were peons, the van; and the counts to marquises the von; they were allowed to use the name that only the royal family used, it was because there was nonconformity for that time where the Temple was born and it was no longer a simple temple to pray, its power and influence terrified several nobles and even the palace itself."
She rested her throat for a moment and drank tea to refresh herself.
"Because of that, the dukes demanded to also be called von, the royal family agreed as the dukes had a lot of power. Sometime later, the First World War broke out. The kingdom wanted to use that opportunity to gain more territories, but they were defeated by a foreign force that did not stop them from passing. That same force asked to join the kingdom, their reasons were unknown, but the king at the time cared more about his neck and wanted to have powerful allies."
She paused for a moment to look at me.
"Do you know what was the name of that family that became part of the kingdom?"
I couldn't speak, so I just turned my head and she gave a strange smile.
"It was a family with long golden blonde hair as golden as the sun, they used powerful fire magic that could burn airships and beautiful intense red eyes, that family married a princess and ascended to be a house of a grand duke, a title that of course, was false, they refused the last name that was to be given to them as they possessed one of their own and would not change it, they were called the Bismarck's."
I had just heard the story of Alisa and her family, but my head was too weirded out to want to ask certain things.
"At that time, the kingdom had the four great families protecting the borders of the kingdom. An era of change was supposed to come for the better... but that's when the Kingsfort decided to take over the kingdom."
"The chieftain at the time, Klein's great-grandfather, had deceived Liam's great-grandfather, about the Talis wanting to stage a coup along with the newly established republic. The king, of course believed him, gave the newly created position of supreme commander to him and together with his strongest knights, House Nosferatu and the other dukes invaded the duchy of Talis and drove them out."
My hands began to shake, this is not something you tell someone like me who will be demoted.
"Klein's great-grandfather returned in triumph with a conquered land to expand his territory, he expected a reward, to rise in rank to an official title that was created at that time, a duke."
Stop, stop, why are you telling me all this? I'm just a peasant.
"To his surprise, not only him, but the other two were also promoted and that's how the three lords of the kingdom were born."
What's in it for me knowing this? Stop.
"Some time later two misfortunes befell the kingdom; the first was the destruction of its most loyal and strongest house of knights, the Nosferatu. Alisa's father who had no political influence as he was young, was secretly contacted by Klein's grandfather. This is something we found out later, according to the details Siegwald wrote, he said it was a mistake what happened, he only regretted not having eliminated that child who escaped. There were more secret reports from butlers that said that child was not sane, since his childhood he showed violent and destructive behavior, several years later the second world war happened and that's where our greatest fear was born, the bloody knight."
Please shut up! Why are you telling me this as if I were someone important? You are terrifying me as this is bigger than a state secret.
"After that, the dukes were informed that we might be attacked and that we had an ace in case the capital was attacked. That was our biggest mistake as Franz, was able to confirm that we were hiding something and his plan to have his son get information out of Liam was getting stronger. I am not proud of what I will say, but I also used him, my son, the fruit of my womb to spy on Klein.... But Liam turned out to be a terrible pain in the ass and you saw what happened."
(No more I beg you!)
(Are you making fun of me!)
(Is this my punishment for stalking her and looking at her breasts and imagining doing things to them?!?!?)
(I'm sorry, I'll never do it again! But please don't do it anymore!)
(I think they're going to kill me for telling me something as important as this!)
(Uwaahh, Ixion, they're going to kill me!)
I was busy shaking and thinking horrible things to happen to me when she was done talking.
"And, that's it, this is the cruel and horrible truth that not only the kingdom, but also the royal family was hiding. I'm sorry to bother you with things that were none of your business, but this I did because of what happened. How our most loyal nobles, ministers and knights abandoned us at the first opportunity and how you criticized us as if you knew that deep down we were trash who deserved it. Truly viscount, I thank you from the bottom of my heart for saving us and I ask forgiveness for all you have suffered for this country."
The Queen leaned back in her seat, her breasts jiggled a little, but I decided not to look at them as I was terrified.
As she rose, she saw me tremble.
"You need not worry about anything, I guarantee this will not be known to my husband or anyone else, consider it a secret from the Queen to the hero."
She winked at me as she said it, that sentence must have given me a lot of happiness, as it seemed to be taken out of some immoral book. But my panic over what he said was bigger than my follies.
"D-d-don't worry. I-I-I-I understand you were just venting to me."
I grabbed my teacup and it was wobbling a bit.
"Let's change the subject to a more pleasant one before I go to the meeting."
She said this as she clasped her hands together while her mature face flashed a pure teenage smile.
How do you wish I wouldn't bother you when you look so charming?
"I would like our relationship, of Queen and hero to start from scratch. I'm willing to erase all the bad things you said during this time if it's okay with you."
This was an opportunity to remove all my harassment of her and have a healthy adult relationship.
"O-of course, I also wish to have a better friendly relationship with you!"
(Now that Mayer has turned his back on me after what I did, only the Queen is my only ally in the palace and I can't lose her).
I didn't notice, that the queen turned red for some reason. Don't tell me I unknowingly harassed her again?
"Well... what she said was a surprise, about wanting to be friends."
"...Huh?"
I don't understand the flow of this conversation now.
"The thing is... I'm not someone who possesses many friends, rather... the only person I talked to when I came to this country was Alisa's mother since we had something in common. And, even the maids don't want to have a casual conversation with me."
Please stop acting cute! Her fingers awkwardly touching each other, her legs rubbing together in embarrassment and her wet eyes staring at the floor do nothing to help me not enjoy teasing her.
Someone tell this mature woman that her destructive power of tenderness reaches radioactive levels!
"That's why...I was a little glad you want to be friends with an old woman like me."
When you call yourself old, it only makes my dark desires increase! Stop, I beg you!
"Not at all! I am someone that the only company I have by my side are two female friends nothing more, I would like to get along with the Queen since, from our previous conversations you can tell that she is a woman who really enjoys dialoguing. I'm sure we can have a healthy conversation between two people."
I was trying to calm her down as her cuteness was destroying me inside.
Suddenly, she stopped and looked down at the table.
"So at this point you're still treating them as friends..."
"Sorry?"
"Nothing, I'm sorry, I'm not one to meddle in teenage relationships and problems, let alone my son and second daughter's nonsense."
(Why is she talking so weird? I know Liam is a jerk, but second daughter? ...oh, that's right, I remember Alisa said she considered the queen a second mother so it's normal for the queen to treat her like a daughter, although I think she was wrong to say second instead of just daughter).
She slapped her palms to change the conversation to a better one than it already was.
"More importantly, Rudel-kun, what do you plan to do from now on? The academy will take a while to open, so I don't see a problem with you wishing to complete your studies after your demotion."
I gave her a smile since this is not known to anyone, but I can't lie to those rosy cheeks and glowing blue eyes.
"I was thinking about it, and I think the best thing I can do now is this. I'll go study abroad."
When I told her that, for some reason her smile faded and her blue eyes turned black as they stared at me.
◇◇◇
Just after Rudel came out of the ministers' meeting room, this happened.
"Prime Minister, this is really bad!"
"We were hoping he would back down, but this got out of our hands!"
"Didn't we imagine that your relationship with that girl is the same as the prince's!?"
"At this rate the kingdom will indeed be lost! After all, if we lose the hero who struck fear into our enemies, the country will be overrun since there will be no one who can defend us!"
The ministers were frightened because of what Rudel told them.
"We propagandized to the neighboring kingdoms and spread the word that he was the one who finished off that man, his demotion was supposed to be just a lie for his promotion to an Earl!"
"If Viscount Bradford really is leaving, what guarantees us to have him tied up kingdom!!!?"
Rudel's name and what he did was spreading by Mayer's own order, they wanted to tell the whole world. That the Altfode Kingdom was their worst threat and enemy, as they possessed the ruthless hero who killed the bloodthirsty knight.
All this was planned by Mayer after meeting Rudel.
He was sitting with both hands on his head as he looked at the documents Rudel presented.
Ministers were shouting at his desk that how could he have allowed that approval.
(If he hadn't, that boy would have realized there was more to it than just wanting that girl's execution, at this rate, what me and Leonis talked about will go down the drain. Must there be something I can do to change his mind?)
Everyone was elated.
"We can't threaten to take away his land or title since he gave it to us willingly!"
"We really need to reconsider a renegotiation with him without him thinking there is something fishy going on."
"What can we do to make him not want to leave and stay in the kingdom?"
Mayer thought as all the ministers looked anxious.
(I really wanted to help you and for you to have a happy and peaceful life, but I am the prime minister of the kingdom, much of the King's responsibility falls on me. That's why I used you, so you can help me lighten the burden and eliminate the pests from the country, you were going to work as a soldier only at specific times and live in tranquility in your territory, but why did you do all this Rudel-kun?)
A voice was raised among the shouts of the ministers, it was Siegwald who was sitting in his chair without moving.
"Gentlemen, you forget there is one thing you forgot."
They all turned to look at him.
"What did we forget?" one minister asked and Siegwald flashed a triumphant smile.
"What do you think is the best way to tie a man to a country and take legal steps to keep him from leaving?"
Mayer lifted his face to look at him and muttered before Siegwald himself answered.
"Bismarck, don't tell me this is what you were looking for?"
Smiling, the duke told them all.
"Compromise. There is nothing and no one in any country that can escape it, so it only remains for us to select your future wife so that she will not run away."
Everyone raised their voices at that simple, yet chaotic answer.
"Engagement is an excellent option, but he has turned down many letters about invitations, hasn't he?"
"The problem here is not looking for a house loyal to the kingdom, but how to get the viscount to accept that girl!"
"We should look for the most beautiful young ladies in the kingdom so he can get him interested in them."
"That boy has turned down many invitations! Even from my daughter, as a father I recognize that her beauty is high, but if Count Roseblaire's daughter is treated casually, what makes you think he would accept a girl he doesn't know?"
"Then whom do you propose for it?"
A mouth was about to open, but it was shut as someone came with heavy footsteps into the room.
It was Lecia who was sweating from running.
"Mayer, we're in trouble!"
"...What now Your Majesty?"
Lecia's mouth dropped a bomb because of what she said.
"Rudel-kun... Viscount Bradford, he's planning to escape overseas!"
The commotion started up again as her suspicions got worse, Mayer dropped his head on the desk while Siegwald....
"Viscount- ...no, Rudel-dono, thank you for making things easier for me."
He smiled as if he had already won.
Now that it's all over, the Kingdom should be at peace... but Erselica, Alisa's father and Rudel himself will have statements that no one could guess.
That's right, that's why there are "van" and "von", if someday I do another version of this story, I would put different names but without a doubt what would change the most would be Rudel's cowardice with women!
The morning of a new day has arrived.
We were already in the middle of January due to many things to do such as; burying the dead, empty tombstones mostly due to not being able to recover their bodies, plus expanding the cemeteries. Reward the brave warriors who fought, whether they are alive or not. Start the reconstructions of the capital because of what happened, for the luck of the kingdom I made a deal with them.
I told my father to lend me the robots from both businesses so I can do secret reconstructions, this world needs to modernize a bit if he wants me to live here, and starting with the kingdom is a good step.
I really hate not having TV, internet or video games. So I'll have Ixion bring almost 1000 years of futuristic development to this crappy fake fantasy world that it really is.
Back to what happened before this great day. There were a lot of medals and a lot of demotions as rank promotions.
The girls somehow I don't know how, were awarded the medal for effort, bravery, honor and both promoted to knight of low rank.
Airi was surprised, as this was the first time a commoner and not a commoner had been promoted to knighthood and she was not even a baronet for it.
Erselica was also promoted for being the one who faced Rafiel, no one cared that she had the same rank as Airi.
My family somehow stood out and a lot.
Apparently, many marveled at my family's ships and armed units.
Currently the palace has a deal with the shipyard and workshop to modernize our ships and mobile knights.
There was a lot of resentment with my family from the workshops, master craftsmen and thaumaturges. I partly understand them, as no one would think that a simpleton family from the countryside would make such an impact on the country.
Although it is due to me of course.
My father and brothers were knighted of low rank. Both Lyle and Bram were graduates of their academies as it was absurd to have two brave knights studying was what many thought.
My father had no court rank, but was given the top eighth rank because of how brave he was, according to reports, to march right into the center of it all and stay there.
My mother warned him not to get anything on him as now many people, both men and women want to shake his hand.
As for me...
"He looks very happy today."
It is just as the beautiful woman I am in the carriage with says.
I am happy since today, I will be demoted to a baronet after the offenses I committed in the palace. Besides, I was blamed for the sinking of the royal airship, which I gladly accepted.
My court and noble rank will be removed to have the same status as a baronet, and who knows, maybe I will be lowered to a commoner.
Excitement wells up in me!
"There was no need to come and pick us up, we would take rented any carriage to come straight to the palace, my Queen."
When my family and I arrive at the port, Queen Lecia-sama was waiting for us in person to escort us.
My family is in the back carriage, there are ten carriages in total, the reason is that the most important woman in the country came to pick up a family from the countryside, even I don't believe it.
"Please don't say that, today I wanted to have a little chat with you nothing more."
"I understand, and what could that be?"
I was asking him with interest as I watched from my seat as he passed by different places to go to the palace, among them the cemetery.
Death is definitely something I don't want to see until I'm a decrepit, washed-up old man.
From her seat across from me, she would ask me questions about what the robots did.
I told her it was a gift that would take time to make.
From the other end of the carriage window I could see several robots flying around as they drilled into the ground to drive large metal pipes. Only I know what that means.
I lost the machine to make money, but I will make money by rebuilding objects from my former life.
No doubt, I'll be filthy rich in a year.
"I see."
She said after she finished telling him a little about what they were doing so he wouldn't suspect it was something bad.
I could already see the shadow of the palace getting closer and closer.
I was trying to keep my happiness inside so she wouldn't notice, what I did notice was that she was looking at me with a face that indicated she was annoyed with me.
Just like Airi that time, this mature woman was puffing out both cheeks like a balloon while furrowing her eyebrows in annoyance.
"I- is something wrong with you my Queen?"
"Nothing."
She averted her gaze from me to watch the road and occasionally glanced at me.
Please stop being charming, a mother shouldn't have that destructive charm.
I inadvertently looked at her dress and hair.
It was a beautiful white dress with sequins, gloves of the same color up to the elbow. A pearl necklace that looked like a snake wrapped around her entire neck, her hair was combed back leaving a more serious face of a woman who does not wear makeup to show her natural beauty.
The only thing she did have on her face was blush on her cheeks and lipstick on her lips that brought out the red in them.
I vowed not to see her breasts, but even if I don't see them everything else is divine.
"I want to monopolize her."
"Huh? She said something."
She turned to look at me for something I know escaped me.
Fortunately, she didn't hear what I said as she was making a wasp sound with her lips.
"Nothing! I just said that it was really nice to see this view and would like to monopolize this moment in my heart!"
"Huh? Well, it's true that it's a nice view. It'll be a pity that I won't be able to see it again when it's gone."
For some reason, her tone seemed to be sad.
I didn't say anything and both of us as if in sync, we started to look at the road until we reached the palace.
◇◇◇
As Rudel watched the road, Lecia's heart sent a feeling to her head as she looked sideways at her transportation partner.
(Rudel-kun Idiot.)
◇
The time has come; I was in my best outfit, I had my gloves, my cloak and my cape.
I walked down the big red carpet with a smile that made this terrifying face of mine look disturbing. Nothing would bother me today!
Ministers, officials, my family among other people were gathered.
They were arranged according to their ranks from least important to very important, from left to right.
I was ten feet away from the throne of King Leonis.
I did not find the girls and that my eyes would always find them.
The Queen was to the right of the King with her scepter, she was making the best face she could, but I could notice a little bit of discomfort towards me.
It hurts me, please stop, I don't want an older woman to hate me.
The King took the scepter and stood up, everyone did too by the sounds they made.
He started to make a speech. Ixion was at home and said he didn't want to see how he was more embarrassed as his master.
"On this day, I, Leonis von Altfode, would like to thank everyone once again for fighting for our country!"
(As I am bored with such dialogues indeed, hurry up I want to be demoted).
"It was a difficult time for many!"
(Umm, come to think of it. What will the girls do when I'm gone? Really, I'd like to know since Ixion will be with me and I won't be able to protect them from abroad).
"The war was horrible, but more horrible was the shame Viscount Bradford committed before the crown that day!"
(Oh, here it is! I can taste the degradation already.)
"For that reason I, take from him the position of supreme commander of the fleets of the realm."
(Farewell responsibilities I never wanted.)
"I take away your court rank, title of viscount and furthermore I take away your middle name."
(Ahh, absolute bliss here I come.)
I opened my eyes to see the King fulfilling the deal just as I asked.
But what is this?
I'm seeing that he stopped talking. And, he's seeing me. Why is he seeing me?
No, not just that.
Hey, why are you smiling?
What's with that strange smile of superiority?
"So, for his achievements and being the Hero of the Realm appointed him as, high ranking knight, minister of war and finally, renamed him as Count Rudel von Bradford, with the fifth lowest court rank!"
"I appreciate those humble-"
I unintentionally blurted out what I had to say after being demoted.
I was being demoted, wasn't I?
It's impossible to have said something that wasn't a demotion right?
Suddenly, I started sweating, my sweat was cold, I looked at the others and they were all open-mouthed and blank-eyed, my family seemed to have fainted.
"Y-y-your Majesty, I-I think I misheard, could you repeat that?"
The King showed no interest as he sat down after he finished speaking.
"It's alright. I appointed you as a knight of high rank, a position as a minister and renamed as Count Rudel von Bradford and a promotion to the lower fifth rank. Are you not satisfied? Well, to the fifth higher rank then."
It was there that the ministers, among them Mayer, raised a cry.
"Your Majesty what are you saying, that rank is already the same as being prime minister!"
"Right? Well, make it the fourth rank down."
"Your Majesty what are you doing!"
"At such a young age he has been promoted to minister!"
"In the history of the kingdom there has never been anyone known to have been renamed! And now he is a von having been born as a van!"
"Skipping the rank of viscount to earl, to become an earl, His Majesty has lost his mind!"
"Is that so? They're right, he's now the fourth highest rank."
"Wahh, he's now on the same level as the royal family and any duke!"
"Your Majesty, please reconsider what you are saying!"
"Certainly, you are now the third lowest rank, Count."
"Everyone shut up already!"
"In just one year he has risen so high being a teenager!"
"What's in store for the country now!"
"They're right, the position of crown prince becomes the second lowest rank and count to the third highest."
"Sorry, we won't question what you say, but please don't go on anymore!"
The ministers fell silent and even Mayer himself did not respond.
I could see the Queen trembling and her mouth opened as if to want to say something.
I was trembling, and I had only unpleasant thoughts as I watched the king Leonis, who was looking at me as if I had made the best presentation in the world.
"With that, this ceremony is over, enjoy the banquet to be held shortly."
(...Don't fuck with me, don't fuck with me, don't fuck with me, Kiiiing!!!!)
◇
"This is fucking shiiiiit!"
I threw my gloves and several pillows at the floor and walls as I was extremely upset.
"This was not what we agreed upon!!!"
I was now punching them as my anger had no way of being calmed.
"S-sonia. my son is a count and a minister!"
"What will that mean for this family!"
My parents were in the waiting room we were entrusted with after arriving, both of them trembling and looking at me in fright.
Pola just looked at me with eyes of admiration and awe, every now and then she would slip out something or other about being someone amazing.
As for my brothers...
"Wahh, Rudel is a count, a minister and his middle name change! Ahhh, my future is ruined now is it, ahhh!!!"
"Lyle, that's not the worst of it, this idiot is on the same level as Prince Liam at court, he surpassed the prime minister and the other dukes effortlessly. And to top it off, we can consider him a nobleman totally independent of the family, Rudel is another branch of the Bradford's!"
"Ahhh, shut up, shut up, shut up, ahhh!!!"
"Sonia, what should we call him now, Count or Rudel-sama?"
"I have no idea! I never expected any of my children to go through a miracle like this."
Everyone was terrified and elated because of what happened.
"Shut up!"
"I am and always will be Rudel, your son and brother! Don't talk nonsense!"
It seemed that, with that, they would not stop shaking like little animals.
"I'll go settle this now!"
"Hey, where are you going?" said my father.
"Obviously to ask for an explanation!"
I shouted it to my family and walked out of the room, closing it very tightly.
◇
"Ahahahaha, that's right, I killed that guy!"
I was laughing, I went out to look for the King, but I was informed that he was with the ministers talking about my promotion and minister position.
So I had no choice but to go to the banquet to wait for them to leave the meeting, it was a lousy decision.
I was surrounded by a bunch of old men and women who wanted to talk to me, after escaping from them, a group of noble ladies approached me.
I thought this was bad, but it was anything but.
"You weren't afraid?"
"Of course not. I faced it bravely like the hero I am."
I winked at them as they wanted me to tell them my stories of how I rose to be an earl.
Did I have to have refused, with a demon I didn't!
"It was a very hard battle against him and even more so when he revealed that mysterious technology that left the battlefield in chaos. I won't lie, I thought I was going to die, but.... Knowing that beautiful ladies like you would be in danger, it made my heart and soul scream with courage and I fought until I sacrificed my lost items!"
I was not going to waste the opportunity to show off to beautiful and even more so young girls who have not been tainted with the filth of society and the world.
I was recounting and dramatizing all the events that happened in my life.
One of them, with a panicked face asked me in a tender way that made her look like a fairytale woodland creature.
"Excuse me, may I call you Rudel-senpai? Even though it's two years before he enters the academy, it really is an honor to meet him, that's why I was wondering if I could call him by that name?"
To all of them I gave my best smile I could with this face.
"Of course, if you wish you can call me that or whatever you please."
"Kyahh!!!" They all shouted in unison.
"I can't wait for you to enter the academy to go to your tea meetings!"
"Talking to Rudel-senpai is very entertaining! His stories are not only true, they all seem to be taken from fiction."
"He certainly is what they call a hero of legends!"
"Life at the academy together with Rudel-sama will be wonderful no doubt!"
(Ahhh, this is what I always wanted. To be stalked by cute girls instead of old men).
(The academy will be a wonderful place for two years...)
(Wait! I don't have time to wallow in this wonderful sense of complacency. I must find the King and demand that he changes his order).
As if by incredible chance, I found him, he was making his way to a secluded spot in the crowd.
"Excuse me girls, but I must speak to someone, then we'll arrange a meeting, bye."
I ran to confront him and demand an explanation.
◇
"Hey, King."
After following him for a while, I finally caught up with him as I got a bit lost between these pillars since this part was a bit dark.
He turned around after calling out to him.
"Is something wrong, Count Bradford?"
"What the hell was that about count! What the hell was that back there? That wasn't what we agreed on."
I was annoyed and he was looking at me with a straight face.
But that's when his appearance changed, his belly came out of his girdle, also his face changed to one that looked like what I would look like if I were old.
"Hah, are you demanding something from the king? You impertinent fucking brat."
His would be and relaxed aptitude that he showed me during my two ascension ceremonies and during Balzac's trial and in the subway hangar was gone.
Was this guy really the King?
Now he raised his little finger on his left hand and did the same thing I do when talking to someone whose opinion doesn't interest me at all.
His finger poked his nose as he spoke to me.
"What happened was what you deserved, or what, did you really think you would get off scot-free after what you did? Fujaja, what an asshole you are, fujaja."
Was this guy just making fun of me?
"We had a deal! I would win and you guys would demote me."
His finger now pulled out a booger and he sent it flying with his breath to now rub his belly.
"The deal was too good don't you think? You'd win and go free, but what about me?"
I don't understand what he's saying now.
"I don't understand you?"
He left his belly alone to talk to me seriously.
"I'm talking about the shame I went through for you."
The one that was unworthy of a king no doubt.
"Shame... what did I cause you?"
"Of course!"
I think I know what you mean.
"I'm very sorry for hitting your son."
"Bubu!"
He made a strange sound that seemed to be a denial.
Then it must be that one, definitely anyone would be upset.
"I beg your forgiveness for upsetting your wife!"
"Idiot, who cares about that fat woman, and I'm not talking about my family!"
"...Huh? So..."
Her mouth twitched to say what she expected from Liam.
"He talked about you standing out more than the King! I wanted to be the center of attention, that's why I was glad when my brother died from working too hard, being a King means doing whatever you please and I was born to be one, but I don't want to be put to work, that's why I wanted Liam to be King already and make him work for me."
But this was much worse.
"You... you are worse human garbage than me!"
I yelled at him from the bottom of my heart.
"What the hell does what you say have to do with my involuntary promotion! This is a violation of my human rights!"
"Shut up insolent! That was my chance to show Mayer that I'm not that nagging kid anymore and you, only you ruined it by your stupidities and the fight against Liam. For that reason, I decided to take revenge on you, fujaja, I really am the best king ever."
"Don't fuck with me you, son of a bitch, you're a worse fucking son of a bitch than me!"
"Your reason for hating me is just childish resentment!"
"I'm the King, nothing is childish, everything is serious!"
"Fuck you, you fucking idiot! I'll do what I wasn't going to do - kick your ass right here and now!"
"If you do, Mayer will be pissed, I'm still the King, first and foremost."
"Guhh-in that case, I'll destroy the palace!"
"Sieg will be mad at you and even I don't want to have those eyes behind me!"
He's right, that old man is very annoying.
In that case, I'll use the heavy artillery.
"I'll hit your son as many times as I want!"
"Do it, I'd even make you crown prince instead of him, that flawed human being seems to lack brain cells."
Don't call your son that! Fine, I'll play rougher.
"I will harass in the worst, most shameless and shameless way your wife and in public!"
"Go ahead! She's just a political marriage and fulfilled her function of giving me an heir, I don't care what you do with her since she seemed to like what you told her, I'll appoint you as her official mistress if you want. Mind you, my girls are forbidden, I'll cut your head off if you go for them."
"Damn trash King are you Leonis!"
"Don't call your King trash!"
"Bullshit you're my king! You're fucking trash both as a king and as a human being, so I'll call you Leonis, the trash king of the trash kingdom."
"Fine, I'll kick your ass and then I'll go show everyone!"
"That's what I wanted!"
He got into an attack stance as I threw down my gloves and showed the same stance.
"Come on, I'll kick your royal ass and make you degrade me!"
"I'll never allow it! Guards, help your King, guards!"
"You're a fucking scumbag!"
Just as I was about to go out and hit him, my arm jerked back and that's when he touched something that wasn't there before.
I turned around and looked at it.
A huge pillar came out of nowhere.
"Excuse me, Your Majesty."
Or so it was until he spoke.
I stepped aside from how surprised I was.
There was little light, but only a part of his body was visible, it was a person, a very tall one, almost as tall as that bloodthirsty bastard.
His clothes seemed to be foreign, from the east it seems.
"A... Adlet, what are you doing here?"
Leonis called him Adlet, that means he knows him, but he looks scared as he was sweating and his teeth showing.
"I came to file my report about what happened with Moldred, I would like to know what all happened with him, but first I came to see you, Duke to King to apologize for what happened."
"...N-you don't need to apologize, everyone knows you are a great person and that Balzac was lying to you, fujaja."
I don't get it, why does he seem scared? And besides...
He said duke! That means this guy is....
In that darkness, his brown eyes stood out a lot, I could feel them glancing at me out of the corner of my eye.
"Can we talk somewhere private?"
"...Hey, is that necessary?"
"Yes, very much so."
"...Okay."
The tall guy walked over to Leonis who was scared, as they were going somewhere.
It was amazing to see him walking next to that guy, it's almost like seeing a tree with legs.
I stood there for a while waiting for my heart to calm down. This day has been full of strong emotions, it also looks like I won't be able to achieve my degradation with that trash King.
Just as I was about to go to the living room to be cheered up by the beautiful and pure girls, I heard some voices coming from another direction in this place.
"You're in the way, get out of the way."
"Kyah."
I ran towards the direction of that cute cry since I would recognize it wherever I went.
After running a bit, I found her, Airi was on the ground, she seemed to have fallen.
"Airi, are you okay?"
"...Rudel-san, I'm fine, I was looking for you and that girl out of nowhere pushed me for no reason."
She pointed her nose at me in the direction where that idiot went.
The place where she left was dark, but I could notice two figures that seemed to fade almost into the shadows, one of them was a maid talking to her.
"Char-sama, you shouldn't do that."
"Who cares about a commoner, Addy, where is that idiot?"
The voices could no longer be heard because of how far away they were, the only thing that, if I could notice before they disappeared, was that the girl who seems to be the one guilty of pushing Airi was a noblewoman, her dress was beautiful and white.
But the most curious thing is that the color of her hair and the way it shined, reminded me a lot of Liam, as if Liam had become a girl.
No, it must be just my hatred of that idiot that makes me think weird things.
I held out both hands to Airi for her to stand up.
As I helped her up, I looked at the dress she was wearing.
It was blue with a short thigh length skirt, white sneakers, a pearl necklace and her hair was combed on one side only, honestly I prefer her normal style, it makes her look prettier.
"May I know what you were looking for me for? And, you look great."
She dusted off her dress and reacted to what I said.
"Thank you, I was looking for you since I want to tell you something, well actually it's Alisa and I that want to tell you something."
"Whatever it is, I'm sorry it's not today, I'm not in the mood right now."
"Huh? Umm, I understand and when could it be?"
She was really wanting to ask me something, is it that important?
"If it's something simple or what I will do from now on, you can tell me any day, you don't need to call Alisa for that."
"No, it's a question that includes Alisa, me and you!"
She seemed very elated for some reason.
"If you want, let's go get her now."
With those words we went to look for Alisa, but somehow Airi went astray when I turned around, and by chance came who I was looking for.
"Rudel!"
It was Alisa who came running towards me, she was in a long red dress, like her heels, her hair will always amaze me as she has it short, but when she untied it seemed to magically grow, currently it was on the side of her shoulder.
She would lift her skirt a little as she came, I inadvertently looked at her legs which were not wearing stockings, it was her skin I could see, a good thing today no doubt.
"Do you know anything regarding what His Majesty appointed you?"
"No, do you?"
She turned her head when I asked.
"Not at all, neither my father, the prime minister nor much less Lecia-sama knew anything regarding that."
(So the bastard pulled it out of his sleeve and didn't tell anyone!)
(This is bad, at this rate, it's really going to turn dark in my future.)
"Rudel."
Alisa called out to me while biting my finger.
Her eyes were serious and staring at me.
"I'd like to take some of your time, Airi and I have to tell you-"
"But what a nice surprise, just who I was looking for."
We both turned to that voice that seemed to be heading our way and sure enough, it was the other woman who was part of my sparse social circle.
"I'm not in the mood for your strange comments to me, Eleonora-senpai."
As usual, this girl with cyan hair and large breasts raised by her arms seeks to annoy me with the strange things she says, I don't see her usual fan or her cliché ninja around.
"Really, you're the kind of man who needs education, fufu, I wouldn't mind giving you private lessons."
"But that's not what I wanted to talk about, I came to tell you that this is the last time we'll meet like this."
"Uh, why?"
"It's obvious why I graduated early silly, despite all the scandal that happened at the academy, graduation is something that was bound to happen to me."
"Oh that's right, I wish you the best in whatever you do from now on."
"Thank you, but I didn't come for you to tell me that, I came to ask you, what are you going to do to now?"
I imagine that's what he's saying.
"You are a count despite being born a baron, you were renamed; something that had never happened before, you entered the same rank as the crown prince surpassing that of the prime minister and other relatives of the royal family, not even the lady next to you to be at your level despite being of a higher rank and, as icing on the cake, you were declared as a minister and of a new title. You know what this means right?"
"...Yes. Annoying problems."
"Besides your zero interest in that, I don't mean that, I mean something much more important than all that."
"Compromise..."
It was Alisa who answered it while clutching her dress with both hands.
"It's just as she says, from now on you will be the target of many women whether you want it or not. So I recommend you go looking for excellent options."
Every single thing that comes out of her mouth is bad for me.
"Really? I'm sorry to tell you that the only thing I have left now is only my hero title; my lost items were destroyed with no chance of being recovered and mostly sunk. The workshop and shipyard belongs to my family, so if any woman wants that interest she should seek out my older brother and tie it to him. And if that wasn't enough, the palace took my territory from me after the sinking of their precious ship. Sorry, but I'm a poor sod who doesn't even have anywhere to drop dead, no matter what kind of woman I am, not a single one will want to be with a guy who doesn't even have a copper coin to eat hahaha."
I laughed loudly to show him my reality, but I didn't imagine I had such a scary countermeasure.
"Really, how silly you are, do you think that's enough to stop a girl from being with you?"
"Huh? But I'm-"
"A nobleman who started last year as a mere non-heir and ended up a few hours ago becoming an earl, promoted to minister and being two ranks below His Majesty. You are not a normal man, whether you want to or not, you will capture the interest of many people. For that reason, you had better start looking for your own allies, I will always be your ally, but the world you entered requires people who don't want to use you or discard you."
Please don't try to scare me, you've already succeeded.
"There is only one option left for you to make your life better, commit to the daughter of an influential family. Only this way, your future will be more or less secured both financially and socially. You don't have a territory, do you? That's a perfect opportunity to ask as a gift to your future in-laws, fufu."
She was laughing a lot, the conversation seemed to turn strange, this took a turn where they try to engage me no matter what.
"You can also create your own house since you are a noble independent of your own, it would be a second branch, but I don't think your family seems to mind you being the main branch, at the end of the day, your children will be the ones to inherit your territories."
"I've been listening to everything for a while now, but you, what are you trying to tell Rudel?"
Alisa suddenly spoke, her eyes looked very furious at her, senpai on the other hand smiled as he watched her.
"I'm just telling you a way to make your life better."
"Oh yeah? Then why does it look like you're trying to push him into your house?"
Senpai's smile grew bigger.
"Fufu, does it look like that? I'm sorry it seems that way, though truth be told, House Roseblaire wouldn't mind him being the next boss. And even more so when my father sang wonders of him and his family."
"By joining the senpai house, does that mean you want me to marry you!!!?"
"Wow, you're not as slow as you look. My mother nor my younger sister would mind if you were the next head of the house, mind you, they did say you need to improve your manners, but that would be taken care of by me in our privacy."
She put her hand on my chin and brought her face close to me, I could feel her breathing."
"Cut the crap! Rudel is and will be the next head of his house."
Alisa grabbed me to pull me to the side of her as she faced senpai.
"Shall you? I don't care whose house is the next boss, but my husband will only be one man."
"That's precisely why! Stop telling Rudel what's best for him! That's my job as her employer!"
"Oh dear, at this point do you still think you are his mistress? I'm sorry to tell you that your game of friends and knight was over when he was declared a hero, women will surround him whether you want them to or not, his future wife's job will be to keep those vermin away from her husband's purse."
"There you go again, stop calling yourself Rudel's wife, he doesn't have a fiancée yet!"
Things were getting very scary, so I decided to run away from there.
Truly, my peaceful life seemed to be over.
◇◇◇
News about Rudel was spreading to all ends of the world, in a certain country it was already getting dark.
A girl was returning from daily shopping after leaving work.
The lights of the headlights were coming on, the bustle of people and other unimaginable sounds as well.
At that moment, a newspaper crashed into her face, she picked it up without the slightest interest.
She read what the part of the newspaper that crashed into her said.
"Altfode Kingdom celebrates that the newly appointed Earl Bradford, eliminated the dreaded bloodthirsty knight? but what stupidity is this?"
The girl crumpled up the newspaper and tossed it aside, she continued on her way straight home, her long hair pulled back in pigtails swaying in the wind.
◇◇◇
In another part of the world, in a kingdom bathed in sunlight, in a special room, stood a soldier reading the news to his superior.
"...What was it you said?"
The superior was listening to what his subordinate said from the international news as he wrote his report.
His office was decorated with various fine and elegant items, there were only two portraits there, one seemed to be of him and his family and the other was of a seated man with long hair.
To one side of the man, was a large split sword as a trophy.
"Yes. According to the Aster newspaper that came to us this morning, there is talk that in Altfode Kingdom, a small and almost underdeveloped country in the south, had a war involving the Black Ouroboros, it seems everyone died including their captain. The kingdom seems to celebrate and to have decorated the nobleman who killed him."
"...What is the name of that nobleman?"
"Rudel von Bradford, my cardinal."
"...I see, you may retire."
"Yes. I will return tomorrow to inform you of the news of the world, until tomorrow Cardinal Darnic."
When the subordinate left and no more footsteps could be heard.
"Are you fucking with me!!!?"
The man burst out.
"What the hell does that mean, you let someone else besides me kill you Bandel!!!?"
He slammed his desk destroying everything on top of it.
"I told you I'd be the one to take your life, it was an eye for an eye you fucking barbarian!"
The man touched his face, his fingers wanting to pierce his flesh.
"How could you let a simpleton peasant kill you! It should have been me who would take your life after losing to you in the war eight years ago!"
The man turned to place his hands on the door connecting to the balcony of his office, inhaled and then shouted from the bottom of his heart as his closed eyes widened.
"I will never forgive you, Rudel von Bradford, my vengeance will now fall upon you!!!"
"You will rue the day you decided to make an enemy of the Sword Saint!!!"
◇
I was in the palace, it was for two reasons.
The first was that today was the day when, at last after much hassle, they released Erselica, the idiots were released weeks ago.
Apparently Liam and the others earned the hatred of the ministers and officials, the Queen hid them on a private island belonging to her.
She said it was for their good until Mayer and the others don't want to hang him with their own hands.
The other reason for being here is because it is less than two weeks before I leave to study abroad.
I had reports to file as they apparently wondered how I would do without a ship they didn't want to provide me with.
I told them that Ixion built an airship similar to Brunhilde, the size was smaller and its stats far inferior.
Ixion himself said it was impossible to replicate Battler and Brunhilde without the original parts.
So he had to create some second hand copies, he was upset and very much so.
I sat in a private room with the Queen to chat a bit, our conversations were healthy, so there was no need for maidservants to surround me in armor.
As we laughed, a topic came up.
"Truly, you are an oddity."
"Eh, may I know why?"
"It's because of that girl, how hard you went out of your way to help her despite everything you did to her."
"Like I said, she was being extorted by those two, I can't condemn her for it."
"I know, I mean the other things she did."
"Else?"
I stared at her quizzically, but she looked even stranger.
"Count, have you already forgotten what you did to them? That's why I say you are an oddity, I thought you would be the one who would support their execution the most."
"Excuse me, but I don't understand what you're saying at all?"
She looked at me as if I had made a mistake.
"...No way! Don't tell me you don't know and yet you decided to help her?"
She really leaves me more intrigued every time she speaks.
"I don't know what you're talking about, excuse me."
She looked a little reluctant to speak at first, but after looking at me and the maids.
"...Well, I think you have matured after your promotion since you didn't want to kill His Majesty, my husband, after his promotion."
Yes, I accepted him as an adult after crying. Fortunately, no one called me to the ministers' meetings showing that they did not want me.
"Listen, this is what happened after being locked up on Balzac's orders."
She told me a story that apparently everyone but me knew, the more she spoke, the more she spoke, my smile I made upon hearing her was completely erased and my tea prepared by my mentor fell to the floor.
◇◇◇
Alisa and Airi were at the same time in the palace, both of them were in Siegwald's office who just had time off after everything that happened.
And now, he was extremely upset.
"Any idea how long you were planning to keep this quiet?"
Airi wanted to speak for her friend, but Alisa grabbed her hand as a sign for her not to speak.
"...I'm sorry."
"You think a simple sorry is enough to make amends for everything you caused!!!?"
Alisa had her head bowed, Airi too in apology, but Alisa was doing it out of embarrassment to see her father.
"Not only have you brought shame to the family, to our ancestors, but you have also soiled the Bismarck family name with your stupidities!"
"...I'm sorry."
"You made an exhibition of your body and hers in public, you lowered your head in front of someone who was an impostor, you attacked palace guards; among them your own brother, and worst of all.... you beat up His Highness the prince and were second responsible for getting that ship destroyed!"
"...I'm sorry."
"Sorry won't make the shame and humiliation wash out of our blood! If your mother were here, I don't know what she would do to you."
"...I'm sorry."
Alisa wanted to cry, not for everything she did, but for soiling her family's name.
"You have committed many crimes for this family, no matter if you are the daughter of a duke, execution would come to you for offending the royal family and being complicit in the loss of a priceless treasure."
Neither gave an answer.
"Don't be silent, speak up!"
They both felt chills as they heard that cry from an angry father and minister.
"...Father, if you will let me explain-"
"Explain what, Alisa? Explain what!!!?"
"...It was all to help Rudel."
Alisa's voice sounded like that of a child about to cry after being scolded.
"And how did that help work out for you!?"
"Not only did it not help at all, without the attack on the capital, he would have equally found a way to escape and have everything turn out in his favor. I still don't understand how the logic around it works, but no matter what you did, it didn't help."
"And how did he repay you? By freeing the impostor and guaranteeing her life despite what she made you do, the Bismarck family will never forgive her let alone that ungrateful man, even Mayer is upset with him too. He has no one to back him up or support him anymore, the idiot even offered us his title and island in order to save that girl's skin. Do you still consider him worthy of your trust and someone important to you?"
"Yes..."
Alisa and Airi answered in unison, Siegwald smiled mysteriously upon hearing that.
He pulled out some documents from his desk.
"Good! It's time for your punishment, you're a real pain in the ass no doubt, I should expel you from the family as the mildest punishment."
Both of their hands clenched tightly after hearing that.
"But I'll do something better, something that will make you think twice about never soiling the family name ever again. You're going to commit before you enter the academy again."
Alisa raised her head, tears showing at hearing that, Airi also raised her head at what she heard.
"...But, father-"
"No objections!"
"I'm going to punish you like this, only then you won't dirty not one, but two family surnames again."
Alisa showed a pained expression at hearing that she will be engaged to someone unknown soon.
"You, her friend, are a commoner, I appreciate what you did for her, but you are also a bad influence on her, for that reason after consulting with Mayer, she reluctantly said she didn't care if you were her concubine. Congratulations, you'll both be with the same guy."
Now it was Airi who was showing a pained expression.
"The details are yet to be discussed with his family, there are many who object as that nobleman is very stupid, rude, foul-mouthed and above all ugly, no doubt he is a perfect match for you two."
They both looked at the floor at what the man in front of them said, the engagement was inevitable, Siegwald gave another mysterious smile after seeing them.
"Oh, I also forgot, a friend of his was the one who suggested this to me, he said that he was an indecisive idiot, and that he will be leaving soon to study abroad, so you better get your things ready since the three of you will be living in undeveloped territory-"
Halfway through Siegwald's words, both of them raised their heads at what they heard, but he couldn't finish what he said as a tremor happened at that moment.
"Kyah!"
"What happened?"
The girls held on tightly to keep from falling, Siegwald too, no one understood what happened, a second tremor happened, then another one.
"Alisa, what's wrong?"
"I don't know, tremors normally only occur when islands fracture. But this doesn't seem to be like that."
Hurried footsteps approached the office door, that same door was opened abruptly by someone.
"Father, Alisa, there's trouble!"
"Onii-sama, what's wrong?"
Vayne came in sweating, after relaxing for a while she was going to speak, but again a much stronger tremor shook the place.
Vayne, said a shocking event.
"Rudel-kun... Count Bradford, is attacking the palace!"
Everyone was shocked as more tremors happened under their feet.
◇
"Bring that bitch to me!!! Give me Erselica!"
I was attacking the palace, it was because of what I heard from the queen, Ixion was beside me hiding, I asked him for an explanation and all he said was.
"If she did, you would have killed her instantly."
Fuck you!
It's unheard of!
Unforgivable!
That woman was in a private room changing her clothes since she had been held prisoner until today.
I told Ixion to hand me my katana, cut the door in many parts and shouted.
"You. You ungrateful little bitch!"
She must have known what it meant to see me, she apologized and tried to escape from the room.
Because of her height I couldn't reach her, so I used air grenades to make her fall.
But it didn't work, the knight on duty, guards and officials came to calm me down.
But I won't allow it!
You can spit on me, but never on them!
Erselica!
"Count, please calm down!"
"We don't want to use violence against-ahh!"
Those screams were from all the idiots who came to stop me.
The grenades were not lethal, they just exploded as if the air around them had been pushed, for some reason, the ground shook due to the impact.
Others were trying to throw magic attacks at me from afar, I extended my katana like a fire truck ladder and hit them with the back of it so they would not take real damage.
More and more idiots came to try to stop me from doing justice.
Ixion was talking to me as he beat up the renowned knights of the palace.
Among them were the fathers of the red and green idiots.
"Master, I didn't tell you was precisely why this would happen, but I didn't imagine that your desire for revenge would be much more intense than calculated. Without a doubt, you are an anomaly for mathematical calculations."
"Shut up and tell me where he hid!"
"...In the dungeon."
"Well done!"
I expelled the idiots who kept coming at me, now only their unconscious bodies remained.
I reached the prison door where I was being held, threw a grenade and the door was propelled downhill.
After the smoke cleared, I saw her locked in a cell clinging to the bars.
At a slow pace she was descending the stairs.
"Wait, onii-chan, let me explain, it was all those girls' mistake!"
"Girls who were your entourage, your followers, who followed your orders!"
I got halfway up the stairs.
"You, ungrateful little bitch! I forgave you, for what you did, I forgave you for trying to kill me, I even sacrificed my island for your sorry little ass!"
"And, how do you repay me, by hurting them, by humiliating them in public, by making a lot of bastards like me feast visually at night on their half-naked bodies and, worst of all!"
I gritted my teeth at what he was going to say now.
"You dared to hide it from me and never thought to tell me!"
"Unforgivable!!!"
"Unforgivable!!!"
"Unforgivable!!!"
"I'll kill you here and now! I'll make a fountain of your blood! Your head will be a trophy for them and I'll eat your entrails while I watch your face gaunt with fear as I killed you!"
"Uwahh, somebody help me please! This guy is scary!"
I was almost to his cell and raised my katana to slash the bars.
"Bradford, what do you think you're doing!"
For some reason, Liam and the other two came to restrain me.
He was in front using his body as a shield, while Chlust was behind me grabbing my katana with his hands and Frey both of my arms, both of them used their legs to block the passage of mine.
"Stand back you idiots, this doesn't concern you!"
"Sure it does! If it involves Erselica, we'll always be there!"
"Guys..."
"Stop your stupid conqueror monologue and stand back! I'll have your head by the end of the day whether you want it or not!"
Liam came up to me to push me as I was slowly moving forward with my magic power distributed in my body.
"Guys protect me, this madman wants to kill me!!!"
"You, ungrateful little bitch!"
I listened as footsteps came approaching the entrance, then voices called out to me.
"Rudel-kun!"
"Rudel!"
"Rudel-san!"
I turned at the sound of those voices, my hand stopped, but my anger didn't.
"Girls... why didn't you tell me! I would have eliminated her instantly!"
The Queen was behind Alisa and Airi, they were all tired from running it seemed. Airi was the one who spoke up.
"It was for this very reason that we didn't tell you anything, truth be told, we don't care what she did to us."
"But I do! Erselicaaaaaaa!"
My anger returned once again and I was moving my body harder.
"Rudel-kun, can you imagine the damage you've caused to the palace?"
"Rudel, just forget it!"
"We ask you."
"Never!!!"
I looked at both of them who looked like they wanted to cry, what he did to them must have been very traumatizing.
"I... will not rest until I give you her head!!!"
I pointed at her to let her know that the time for her execution had come.
"Erselica, you damned ingrate, I will never forgive you! I will hunt you down to the ends of the earth and to the end of my days!"
"Ixion!"
"Yes?"
I called to my faithful companion.
"Take care of these idiots!"
"...Are you sure?"
"Of course! I'll kill her whether they want me to or not."
I smiled at him to let him know that his time had come.
"...I have no more choice, get some rest until your anger subsides."
I didn't understand what he said, but moments later; a very intense electric shock ran through not only my body, but also these guys' bodies.
"Ixiooon, you damned enemy of humankiiiiind!!!"
Both me and the idiots fell unconscious due to the electric attack.
◇
The place I meet is the academy, it's so weird to be here, there are three cups of tea on the table, there are two more people here with me, they seem to be the girls.
I don't know why, but my heart feels so warm when I am with them.
They both smile at me, I don't want this moment to end for anything in the world.
I really...
◇
I opened my eyes after the strange dream I had.
I was looking at a white colored ceiling, on my left side was a long brown armchair, even if I hadn't seen it, I knew it was an armchair since my legs were stretched out lengthwise bumping into the hand rest.
As for my right side was them.
"Why did they hide it from me?"
Alisa and Airi were looking at me with loving eyes as I spoke to them, a little further away was the queen.
Alisa and then Airi spoke to me.
"We didn't want to worry you during the war crisis."
"We also thought it best to forget about it."
Lying down, I raised my arm to scratch my head and then said.
"Lecia, hand Erselica over to me."
"I don't recall her giving you permission to call me by name, Count Bradford, besides, we don't have that kind of relationship for you to ask me for favors."
"Mature woman in the morning."
I tried to tease her about what she said, but she didn't seem to react to it.
"Sorry, give me that slut."
"I'm sorry, but you said yourself not to let anyone touch her and I'll honor that deal."
I made a sound of discomfort at what he said, turned around annoyed looking at the brown couch and asked them again.
"No one told you to do something idiotic like that, are you idiots?"
Being in a position where I can't see them, the way they spoke to me seemed to indicate that they were smiling as they spoke.
"We said it once, we are. And that's why we're friends." Airi said.
"We're sorry, but we were more concerned about your safety than our pride." Added Alisa.
"Rudel, turn around please."
I did so reluctantly to see what they wanted.
Turning to look at them, I watched them happily.
By the way, why are they holding hands since I opened my eyes? Or, how long have they been doing it?
"First of all, thank you for standing up for us and caring about us." Alisa was saying and I a bit annoyed replied "no big deal, I promised them."
Then, it was Airi who spoke in a shy tone.
"Rudel-san, can you join us on the rooftop for a moment? There's something important Alisa and I want to tell you."
I looked at them again, and they both looked serious and at the same time shy, their hands clasped tightly together.
The Queen instead covered her mouth with both hands and exclaimed.
"It can't be? This is not like that! Something that only happens in novels!"
From her tone, a knot formed in my mouth.
I told them yes, and before I got up, I thought the worst.
(Please don't call me just to tell me that you entered the forbidden door and want to express your love in front of me. That floating heart just made me think the worst, and now I don't want it rubbed in my face).
Without a doubt, this day is the worst.
It's time for Rudel's "punishment" for being a hero... but, for some reason, one person resents that.
Next time we'll finish the chapters and get closer to the epilogue!
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