Chương 125: Save 70 ─ Cursed Necklace
Loud footsteps could be heard running up a staircase.
It was Madame Beverly coming to Lucy and Diana's apartment.
Madame Beverly was a "man". He was muscular, yet wore makeup.
He was wearing a very tight shirt that showed the shape of his muscles very clearly. He was a shop owner who spoke in a high masculine tone and sometimes like a woman.
But, actually his real name was Lutart, he was a knight serving in the Vermillion Household. He is the head of the temporary knights due to the fact that the previous one and those who had higher than "him" were killed. He was protecting Lucy and Diana from the shadows by having them working in the same place.
He was not the only one. There were other knights hiding close to them.
The vegetable seller.
The butcher.
Many people close to them protected them by hiding their existence. They were a very small number.
The sisters were able to enroll in the academy thanks to the efforts of the former servants of Vermillion Household.
"Diana-sama! Your elder sister, Lucy-sama was taken into the custody of Banfield Household!"
Lutart reported that with a pale face and a distressed expression.
Diana wasn't really panicking because she already knew.
"I know."
"Aren't you surprised?"
Lutart usually spoke like a woman, but now he spoke like a man because it was a serious conversation.
Diana felt an annoyance at that, but this was not the time to talk about it. She was quiet inside her heart.
(With what Jude is doing right now, surely my older sister can accept it too. First of all, it's a mistake that man was chosen as the guardian.)
Lucy's partner was not Rudel. ─It was Jude. That was the correct scenario.
"I know you all have been protecting us. Thanks to all of you, we were also able to enroll in the academy without any problems. I also thank you for taking care of us, madame─ no, Knight Lutart."
Lutart knelt down in front of Diana.
He had always been worried about the two of them.
Sometimes he would come to the apartment to check on them. He would also indirectly back them up at the academy.
"So you already knew..."
"It's obvious if you think about it a little. ... Well, my sister didn't notice."
"It seems so."
Lutart had somehow felt that Lucy didn't notice him. Diana knew because she had knowledge of this part game.
The main heroine came from Vermillion Household, the house that was at the top of the seven great nobles.
The former servants of that house were supporting the main heroine.
"However, it is unexpected that her older sister, Lucy-sama is the one chosen as the priestess."
"Unexpected?"
Diana bowed her head at Lutart's words.
"Why? Both my mother and father said that I don't have the aptitude to be the priestess."
Lutart was puzzled.
"N-No. It was just my feeling that if someone was to be chosen as the priestess, then it would surely be you, Diana-sama. I'm not aware of this matter of aptitude. After all, I was in the lower rank among the knights serving in the Vermillion Household at the time."
Diana sighed.
"My sister is the priestess. So, what are they going to do now?"
"Diana-sama's safety is more important now than us. We don't know how Banfield Household will move. Anyway, let's evacuate from this place immediately."
It seemed that Lutart planned to protect Diana since Lucy was taken by Jude's family. But Diana was not panicking.
She already knew what would happen from the beginning.
"Don't worry. Lugh will come pick me up."
"Huh?"
The outside became noisy.
Lutart took a careful look outside. There he found several cars with the Lunor Household family crest parked outside.
The Lunor Household knights in ceremonial attire appeared with Lugh's figure behind them.
"Lugh-sama?"
Lutart gasped and turned his gaze to Diana. She said.
"Do you want to come too? I'll be looking after Lugh for now."
Diana started walking to the door to go downstairs. Lutart was behind her with a pistol.
As they left, the knights of Lunor Household showed their respects.
"We are pleased to welcome the younger sister of the priestess Lucyelle-sama!"
"Also the young master's couple! Welcome, Diantha Liz Vermillion-sama!"
Diana entered the car and then looked at Lutart who entered a bit wary of the surroundings.
Lutart had to report the situation to the people related to the Vermillion Household at the academy.
The car started and she watched as the promising future to defeat Rosenberg Household was closer.
Diana was finally relieved that the scenario was moving forward on the right track.
◇◇◇
Erselica was in a panic.
"Gyaaaa!! Lucy was taken while my big brother is not here... H-His gonna kill me!!!"
Lucy was carried away by Jude.
However, she never thought that he would come to take Lucy away without worrying about any consequences.
Even for Erselica it was hard to choose to resist to the bitter end at that moment. Bell was watching her, squirming as she shook her head.
"I never get bored watching Erselica-chan twist in comical pain. I like you, Erselica-chan, please continue to be a very pitiful woman."
"Why!? And, thank you!!? More importantly, why didn't you tell me sooner that we were going to be surrounded? We could escape if Jude came to attack! I could run with Lucy before that happened!"
Bell corrected Erselica's thought.
"They had also sent soldiers to the harbor. I thought it was strange that the number of guards guarding Aurora had increased recently. So it was actually a preparation for this."
"Tell me something like that if you noticed! Are you going to apologize to me if my big brother gets mad! That's the important thing!"
"It's great how you try to self-advocate! ─Well, to be honest, I don't think you could do anything other than hand Lucy-chan over even if Master were here."
"Huh?"
Bell was listening to the conversation between Jude and Lucy.
"Even I was gathering information. It was true that they were aiming for this moment while Master was absent, but it was only a matter of time before they moved."
"As I thought, it was because my big brother isn't here!"
"Aah~, that's not all. That boy named Jude-kun was aiming for Lucy-chan. But you see, the six great nobles have another intention. It seems that the Banfield Household is trying to overthrow the Rosenberg Household."
Erselica was worried when a political topic came up.
"... Huh?"
"That blank face is good too! Well, in short, it's an internal struggle within this country, it's not something that concerns us anyway. It would surely happen even if Master were here. Still, that guy, Jude-kun is awesome too. He bargained with Lucy-chan by using themselves as hostages. He reminds me a bit of Ixion and his obsession with─ forget it."
Erselica looked scared when she heard how Jude threatened Lucy that they would fight no matter what.
"That's not the conquest target I know at this stage of the game."
She thought Jude would be someone cooler because he wouldn't give up on her love, but his action was downright nasty.
"Even Master would recoil at the attitude of that Jude-kun. Since, it means totally different governmental problems than Derrick-chan. They had an excuse there to fight Aster, but not now. Therefore, you don't need to be so worried. On the contrary, isn't this the scenario you and Master mentioned? It'll be a happy ending if Lucy-chan gets together with Jude-kun. ... Except for Lucy-chan."
Erselica looked down.
"... But I want Lucy to be happy too."
Bell denied.
"That's nothing more than impossible. In the present situation, it is difficult for everyone's happiness and that girl's happiness to be realized together."
"You wish that she will become the priestess, bring prosperity with this country and thus, get the happy ending. Now you wish the opposite? Humans sure are irritating with their wishes."
Erselica remembered the time when Lucy lived next to them. It made her hate herself for not being able to do anything.
It was then that a carefree voice came from the entrance.
"I'm back~. guys, I brought presents!"
"Prince, your mother says to answer the letters she sent you!"
... It was Rudel's voice. Bell was excited.
"Ah, Master has returned. masteeeeeer my gift!"
She literally flew off to meet Rudel. Erselica gritted her teeth.
(You're too late, you stupid, dense big brotheeeeeeer!)
◇
Felicia's expression quivered as we returned to Erselica's mansion.
"What's with this filth in this mansion!!! It's not taken care of at all!"
She looked like she couldn't stand it as a maid.
Allen, who came downstairs, objected to those words.
"I at least wish you would praise us for maintaining such a large mansion with so few people. Besides─"
A cheeky attitude as always despite being just a brat.
The one who interrupted Allen's words was Ada, who threw her bag and jumped towards him.
"Allen-kun!!!"
"O-O-O-Onee-chan!!!?"
Ada ran to embrace Allen, her splendid breasts jiggling wildly. He was buried in that space and shaken from side to side. Thank you.
It was a heartwarming reunion between siblings. I shed a tear. As it reminded me a bit of how I feel about my sweet little sister.
Felicia also read the mood and was silent.
"Allen-kun, listen! I'm also going to work here to take care of Count─ young master Rudel's. We can be together now!"
Ada looked happy, but Allen immediately pushed her away.
He was making a very displeased face, but his ears were red.
"I-I'm working! Besides, why did you come to this country so suddenly, onee-chan? They should send other, more useful people here."
Ada was surprised to hear that.
"... Allen-kun, do you hate that I'm here?
Allen kept sending glances at me and Felicia. It was obvious that he was annoyed with our presence.
This kid was at that age.
"I-I don't hate it or anything, it's just that I'm working! Don't bring private business to work!"
What a professional spirit for a spoiled brat.
But Ada was downcast because she took Allen's words seriously, she looked like she wanted to cry, so I tried to fix things like a responsible adult.
"Allen-kun, I understand you're in puberty, but be nicer to her. No one here is going to say anything, even if you mix private and work a little. Come on, jump on your sister's lush bosom."
Allen's face turned red at my words.
"You're in puberty too! Don't emphasize my sister's chest with pleasure either!"
Stupid. This was my second life.
There was no puberty in the second life.
I'm an adult in a young man's body.
"Don't lump me in with you. I am an adult."
"Liar! You're the most childish of all! Even the prince doesn't throw tantrums like you!"
Ixion, who hovered beside me, muttered an insult.
"Why do you deny it if it's the truth? You act like you're always in puberty, Master."
"Hey, whose side are you on!"
This AI, he wasn't entirely kind to his master.
Bell came flying in while we were making a fuss at the entrance.
"Master, welcome back~"
"I came back. More importantly, did something happen?"
When I asked if anything happened while I wasn't here, Bell spoke with a tone as if nothing in particular had happened.
"Let's see. At most, it's just a matter of the Banfield Household taking Lucy-chan away. Ah, Master, you brought souvenirs, didn't you? Erselica-chan will be happy about that. She's going to say, it's precious to have sugar or something valuable to eat, or something."
"I see, so they took Lucy~." I muttered before coming to my senses.
"What the hell does that mean!!!" And then it hit me.
The mansion was too quiet.
"Huh, where are Liam and the others, what were those guys doing in this emergency!!?"
Those guys, they were usually useless so they should at least work at this kind of time. As I thought that, Erselica seemed to be sweating buckets in a corner.
"Hey, what happened?"
"... They left."
"Huh?"
Erselica shouted.
"They left! They wouldn't help even when it's summer vacation, and they even spent the living expenses as they wanted! They took the money you left and went to think they were responsible adults! What's more, do you know how gratifying it is not to have to cook for five? Do you know how splendid it is not to wake up with one of them pestering you so early in the morning for affection?"
She was complaining out loud mid-speech.
So... the five idiots are out there by themselves, huh?
"W-will they be alright out there!!? I consider them just like little kids leaving them alone."
Bell was laughing.
"They're fine. I'm monitoring them properly. So, would you like to see their activities later, Master? It will be worth a few laughs, believe me."
"... It's fine as long as they're not in danger."
Well, I could understand Erselica's feeling of being quiet without them, and it would be better for those guys to learn a little about society.
Still, those guys were really useless.
Were Liam and the others really the saviors of this world?
◇
I went into an unused room to hear more about the situation from Erselica and Bell.
It would be problematic if other people overheard this talk.
"... And that's what happened. Jude threatened Lucy with using Aster's soldiers and civilians as hostages."
"... Are you serious?"
There was a problem when I returned to the Kingdom, Lucy was chosen as a priestess within our expectations.
However, Jude's action had crossed the line.
(... What the hell was he thinking using so many people's lives as a shield?!)
My blood was boiling.
I threatened Jude not to go near Lucy again because she was supposed to be physically and psychologically disgusted with him.
"Ah, please don't blame Erselica-chan. Even you could only watch if you were there."
I looked at Erselica, who was huddled behind Bell. I thought it would be better to think of a solution before blaming her, so I changed my mind.
But, I wanted to say one thing.
"If it were me, then I would stop Lucy at all costs."
"I think she would still go with Jude-kun even if you were there, Master."
"Excuse me?"
Erselica was hiding behind Bell, but she was still completely visible.
Even with her small body, it was impossible for Erselica to hide behind such a small, round body.
"... You're dense, brother."
"... What are you talking about, what do you mean?"
When I asked, Erselica shouted "Hih!" in fear.
Ixion jerked his red eye from side to side in exasperation. Then he turned to me.
"Master, what are we going to do, are we going to fight the Aristocratic Kingdom or just watch and let things go at the pace of the event? It's your decision."
It seemed that Bell had gathered information from Aster.
"It looks like Banfield Household will have Lucy marry Jude at this rate. Maybe they're aiming for the position of the next guardian?"
I noticed one thing there.
"Wait a second? The priestess emblem Lucy has? Where did it come from?"
(Did it come from the little sapling or the sacred tree? Wouldn't it be better to determine who she was chosen by?)
All eyes gathered on Bell. Then she said Tehe!
"From the sapling perhaps? The data is very little, so I can't determine."
"That's the important part!"
Then Ixion specified the answer.
"There is no problem. The sapling is the one who chose Lucy."
Erselica was surprised.
"Huh? How do you know that?" Ixion didn't answer.
He asked me a question.
"It will be Master's decision from here. It can be said that Lucy's situation right now is on the right path according to the game scenario. Even so, will you get involved with Lucy, Master?"
"Was there any need for us to get involved even though things were progressing as per the scenario?" I spoke jokingly.
"What are you, an idiot!!? If Lucy was forcibly taken, that means she's not following the scenario. Rather, it's a bad ending. This is the wrong way, isn't it ... I'm going to bring Lucy back. In the worst case scenario, I'll even take her to the Kingdom temporarily to escape."
"Then, you will save her in the end. You don't seem to learn in getting involved where you're not called."
That bastard Jude was no good. That guy was not worthy of Lucy.
The suit I used against Derrick, had according to Ixion a technology like his body to deflect light and become invisible. Unfortunately it ended up a bit ruined and I never told him to fix it.
Erselica was about to say something, but then shut her mouth. And then Bell told me one more problem.
"Ah, leaving that aside, Sara-chan of Rosenberg Household has gotten engaged to Tom-kun of Exner Household. Master, you're close with her, aren't you, is it okay not to congratulate her?"
The events that happened while I wasn't here were too many.
(Now, let's go rescue Lucy and hurt that damn stalker a little.)
◇◇◇
"That good-for-nothing... he immediately stayed inside Erselica's room as soon as we got to Aster."
Felicia, who had put on her maid's uniform, began to clean her work place which was dirty.
Felicia knew that Rudel and Erselica were inside the same room.
Then she began to call Rudel good for nothing.
Originally it was already difficult to approve of even the two of them staying under the same roof, and yet they entered the same room. From Felicia's perspective, it was a betrayal towards Alisa.
"I have to report this to Miss Alisa right away─ hm?"
She looked at Ada, who was cleaning up along with her.
Ada was absentmindedly looking at the clear jar on the dining table that was with a plant.
"Ada-san, what's wrong?"
Ada gasped in surprise when she was called out and then apologized.
"I'm sorry! Err, it's just that... I'm curious about this child."
Felicia looked at the plant─ the sapling was tucked inside the jar.
"It's certainly strange, isn't it too plain to be used as decoration, is this Aster's style?"
She wanted to replace the plant with something else right away, but judged that she had to ask the owner of the mansion first.
"It's too simple to be a decoration on the table, but it will also be problematic if a problem occurs because we change it without permission. Let's ask later."
Felicia was serious about her work.
But, Ada was in a strange state.
(Does she feel sad because her little brother acted cruel to her? Better let her rest a bit.)
Surely the cause of her state was Allen's cold reaction.
Felicia concluded that it was that and told Ada to rest.
"Ada-san, please go rest first if you are tired. I'll take care of this place."
"B-But."
"Talk to your brother. There won't even be time to talk if you' re busy."
"Y-Yes!"
Ada left the room.
And then Felicia remembered.
"Oh no, I won't be able to investigate that good-for-nothing if I'm working here alone!"
Felicia couldn't give up her work either. She resumed cleaning with a frustrated face.
◇◇◇
Ada went to look for Allen, but she stopped walking down the hallway and looked around.
"Who is it?"
She felt someone calling out to her in the empty hallway. Normally she would be startled, but that voice was really kind.
When she looked out the window, she could see the sacred tree that was the symbol of Aster. It felt like she was looking at a mountain.
Ada was stunned when she was looking at the sacred tree.
"What is that? Who─"
She walked to the window and was discovered by Allen who was accidentally passing by.
"Onee-chan, are you avoiding work?"
Ada saw her little brother's exasperated face and made an excuse in panic.
"Y-you see, someone was calling me!"
"There's no one here but us."
Ada was also worried about how to respond. She lowered her head in front of Allen.
"I'm sorry."
"Geez. Quick, let's finish the cleanup."
◇◇◇
Randolf stood up spontaneously when he heard about Lucy. He was doing paperwork in the Rosenberg Household mansion office.
"Impossible!"
The reason he shouted after hearing his subordinate's report was because the priestess emblem appeared on Lucy.
"Why did the priestess emblem appear on that girl? ─No, I see."
He immediately noticed.
(I see. The sapling! In that case, I can understand why he chose that little girl. That girl was close to where the sapling was.)
He knew Lucy was staying at Rudel's mansion.
However, Randolf never expected the sapling to choose a priestess so quickly. His subordinate continued his report.
"It seems that Banfield Household is going to hold a marriage ceremony between Lucy─ no, the priestess and the next head of the house, young master Jude."
"Marriage ceremony?"
The Banfield Household's movement was too quick. He suspected they might have known beforehand.
(...Cliff doesn't like I'm in the Acting Chairman's position. Is he planning to take my job with this? If so, this would mean my house losing power.)
That would be worrisome.
Randolf decided to consult with Linus whom he trusted to form a countermeasure immediately.
"Get in touch with Linus."
(Even so, a survivor of Vermillion Household is chosen as a priestess, is this also fate?)
(Bea... is this your revenge against me?)
◇◇◇
Lucy was confined in the Banfield Household mansion.
On the surface they said they were protecting her, but in reality the door was locked so that she could not escape.
There were also iron bars on the window. There were always guards standing outside the door and window.
Lucy was sitting on the bed. She looked at Jude, who came into the room. She was terrified to see that Jude was holding a necklace with a chain attached.
"This will be your engagement ring."
"Are you insane!!?"
"Hahaha, listen to me. This is a tool that was created from a part of the sacred tree. It was created by a head of the Banfield Household many decades ago. He created it as a means to force his enemies to swear allegiance to him, or else they would die as it drains the life energy of his prey, sorry, I mean his host."
"The necklace should be affixed to the servant, while this bracelet should be worn by the master. The bond of magical power imbued by the sacred tree has no limit of rank. It will squeeze your neck until it suffocates you if you try to run away. Don't you think this is a wonderful way to keep you from running away from my love?"
With this, the person with the necklace attached would not be able to escape from the master. The chain would disappear after both sides wore the set. But, with this tool, the two would not be able to separate from each other.
If she tried to escape by force, the chain would appear and the servant in question would be pulled towards the master with force.
It would be impossible to remove the necklace after wearing it.
"... How could such a sinister tool exist?"
Lucy did not know.
"The use of the sacred tree is advancing a lot recently. But in the past it was a bit stranger."
"Ha! Then you are making use of the sacred tree. The sacred tree is really generous. After all, it won't take away your emblems, even when used in this horrendous way."
Jude moved closer to Lucy and stroked her hair to bring her face close.
"You won't be able to escape anymore."
Lucy glared at Jude.
"Do what you want. But I won't accept someone like you, someone who will sacrifice even many lives just to have only me."
Jude burst out laughing when he heard that.
"You're stubborn as always. I look forward to how long you can keep that attitude. I'll show you thoroughly which of us is superior after we're married."
Lucy's eyes widened like saucers in surprise at the mention of marriage.
"M-marriage!"
"Yes, you heard right! It's a ceremony to unite us for eternity! It will also be an auspicious day where the priestess and Aster's guardian return."
Lucy looked away from Jude.
"The guardian must be chosen by the priestess. Also, it has to be someone worthy."
"I am worthy! I am the next head of Banfield Household, one of the six great nobles. I have the strength to protect the sacred tree! Besides, I love you, there's no one more worthy than me!"
Lucy looked at Jude.
"You're really stupid. It is the sapling of the sacred tree was the one who chose me. The sacred tree that gave you emblem won't recognize me. Too bad for you, Jude."
Jude smiled darkly toward Lucy.
"So what?"
"... Huh?"
"It doesn't matter if it's the sacred tree or the sapling. If it's the sacred tree, then fine. If it's the sapling, Banfield Household will simply have to bring it under our control. The Banfield Household will lead this country as the best of all as it ever was."
"The sapling is with Rudel...!"
"The sapling of the sacred tree will choose its priestess and guardian. If an outsider is holding it, we will get it back either by negotiation or by any kind of method. I wonder how much that guy will sell the sapling for? No, let's negotiate directly with that guy's country. The Supreme Kingdom will buy him back no matter what price they put on him."
Jude stated that they would get it back no matter what.
It was unclear whether Rudel and the others really understood the true value of the sprout correctly.
Besides, the existence of the priestess would be indispensable if they were going to use the sapling.
With Lucy under Aster's control, the kingdom had no way to make use of the sapling.
In that case, there was a possibility that they would use the sapling as bargaining material. It was also okay even if the sapling left.
Jude wanted Lucy. What Cliff wanted was the Acting Chairman position. What Linus wanted was to recover from the humiliation they received from an outsider.
"Lucy, you have nowhere to run."
Jude pushed Lucy down on the bed.
And then, he tried to put the collar around Lucy's neck.
"L-Let go of me!
"Be obedient!"
Lucy struggled to the point of slapping him.
Then she pushed him away and tried to escape.
She had no way. Seeing her resist, Jude became angry.
"Stop denying my love for you!"
He ran towards Lucy and with his right hand, Jude hit the resisting Lucy.
She was shocked because of the pain she felt.
She wanted to cry, but the tears wouldn't come.
"My love for you is true! Why are you trying to deny it! Why, Lucy!!! I told you I'd give you everything you want! But... this is your fault!"
Jude shouted as his fist wildly swung at Lucy's face.
After leaving her face alone. Lucy curled up as if in a fetal position.
She was trembling.
Jude grabbed her forcibly and threw her on the bed.
When Lucy stopped moving from surprise, he put the necklace on her and wore the bracelet on her left arm.
Then the chain vanished as he said.
Jude looked at his left arm and then kissed the bracelet. Then he walked over to her.
He gave gentle kisses on her hand and then all the way down to her neck.
Lucy didn't move on top of the bed. Jude spoke gently to her.
"It's your fault for resisting, Lucy. But don't worry. If you listen to me, I'll treat you kindly."
Jude had a relieved expression, thinking Lucy couldn't get away with this. He gently stroked Lucy's flushed cheek.
Her eyes were bright, but that light disappeared as she was enslaved by him.
Now, Lucy was Jude's property.
His hands moved to her body, he began to slide them down to almost touch her hips.
"I love you. That's why Lucy, don't make me angry. I don't want to hit you. I will call healers this instant to make your beautiful face like new again."
The door was knocked.
A voice called from outside.
"Jude-sama, there is a call from Linus-sama."
Jude clicked his tongue and separated from Lucy. And then he walked out of the room.
Lucy was lying on the bed with her hands outstretched and her hair tousled. When she touched the necklace that was placed around her neck, tears welled up.
◇◇◇
Dusk has arrived.
In a few hours it would be dark.
Some guards were chatting quietly outside the Banfield Household mansion.
"Will the priestess marry our young master?"
"In that case, young master Jude will be chosen as the guardian."
"Banfield Household will be even more prosperous."
The mansion was indeed large, but there were several soldiers standing guard in Lucy's room.
The guards patrolled the halls. That was why they could afford to talk quietly.
Since, no one, would be so stupid or crazy to attack the house of one of the great nobles.
... But, no doubt there is always someone like that.
"Hey, what's that sound?"
One of the guards raised his head to the sky as he heard something.
"That's right, it sounds like a buzzing sound."
"Ahh, my ears, it's really loud!"
They all covered their eardrums, but one of them visualized something that made him open his eyes and then warn the others.
"Something's coming our way! Get ready!"
The guards watched as a flying black object rapidly approached.
It was only seconds when a voice from far away startled them.
"JUUUUUDEEEE!"
"That voice is not... The Knight of the Realm!?"
"I don't know, I never saw or heard him!"
"It's coming fast!"
The flying body was a jet black Armor with red eyes.
It came close enough to the mansion and descended abruptly shaking the ground.
On its back was a backpack similar to a shipping container.
A seething voice was heard loudly.
"DIDN'T I TELL YOU THAT IF YOU WENT NEAR LUCY AGAIN, I WAS GOING TO KILL YOU!"
From that container, two black axes were ejected. They flew straight into his hands.
"GIVE ME LUCYYYYYYYYYYY BACK!"
The guards shouted.
"Where are the armed units at!"
"Surely that must be the knight of the realm! What is he doing here!"
"The port never reported his arrival."
At that moment, an electronic voice was heard.
"Master, I have completely scanned this mansion. I have confirmed the room where Lucy is locked up."
"... Are you really planning to take her?"
"Of course! She's forced into a marriage she doesn't want. Jude is a dangerous guy!"
"What will you do after you save her?"
"I'll evacuate her to the kingdom temporarily!"
At that moment, armed units from Banfield Household arrived.
They moved in to fight Battler.
The guards on the ground shouted in exasperation.
"That's it.
"Take him down."
"Show him the power of the knights and armor of Banfield Household!"
They drew their swords and there were several of them.
Defeat was clear.
"This is not in the scenario you and Erselica wanted, you know?"
"Indeed, it is not!"
"However, I didn't think they would choose him as a guardian. After all, Lucy hates Jude."
Rudel's voice expressed that he was very angry.
His cheerful vacation and stress relaxation were instantly erased.
Battler was crushing the heads and limbs of the knights without looking around.
They just followed into a room as they ran.
The knights were shouting.
"Why is he so strong!"
"He's just an enemy, and yet he can take us all on?"
"High caliber bullets bounce back on contact with his Armor, we can't hurt him!"
Battler was running without caring that he was hit or shot from behind.
Ixion was still talking.
"Isn't it likely that Lucy can choose the guardian even after being rescued?"
"Why!!! Lucy is a girl. She deserves to find love, and Jude isn't. Of course she can fall in love and choose the next guardian."
Ixion spoke quietly for Rudel to hear only.
"You are the guardian at the moment."
"I will not accept it. More importantly, can this emblem be erased?"
(Certainly, the sapling had chosen me as guardian. But, the sequence was wrong like that.)
(I was uneasy that it didn't follow the romantic scenario to make it work.)
It was what he thought about the current situation, but Ixion said.
"It's possible, but... the condition to be chosen as a guardian is to have the strength to protect the sacred tree. I can't believe that romance is necessary for that. As I imagined it, this world is very surreal."
"It's a possible sequel to 'that otome game' Erselica talked about, really, that rose-colored setting in an RPG game. The developer must not have thought too much about the details."
"It's not good to decide that carelessly. Also, remember that there was a proper reason why the woman was placed above the man in the Kingdom."
"Aah~, the reason for that was really terrible. I didn't want to know something like that."
Then, Ixion reported after getting rid of the pursuing knights.
"Master, we've arrived, show me your prince charming skills that you're so proud of."
◇◇◇
Lucy stared at the ceiling in a daze. It was then that she heard the sound of people running behind the door.
The soldiers waiting in the other rooms were startled. She could hear the noises outside.
"Hey, what's going on?"
"It seems to be an enemy attack!"
"Evacuate the priestess now!"
Lucy lifted her upper body.
She was sweating.
(Could it be that the Rosenberg Household came to kill me?)
She remembered that day─ the day she escaped from the burning mansion. She could remember it even now. The day the Rosenberg Household destroyed the Vermillion Household.
Surely they had come to kill her after learning that she survived. She listened to the sounds of havoc outside as she thought about what to do.
The door then opened quickly. Lucy looked around for anything she could use as a weapon.
However, there was nothing like that here. Her captor had been careful not to put anything that could be used as a weapon inside the room.
"Priestess, come with us qui─!"
The words of the maid in knight's attire were cut off because Lucy's room, the window to be exact, was destroyed by a huge, black hand.
She panicked as she took shelter behind the bed.
The knights and servants were ready to fight, but something happened.
A strange sound like electricity running heard Lucy.
The next moment, those who tried to defend her dropped like flies to the floor with smoke coming out of their mouths.
Lifting her face, Lucy observed a black body settling in the newly created doorway through the broken window.
There, a boy wearing a pilot's suit along with a strange red-eyed floating sphere at his side.
Lucy recognized him immediately.
"Rudel?"
She recognized him by the shape of his body and his eyes. Also the ball floating next to him.
Lucy felt a little happy.
Rudel took a few steps out of the booth and extended his hand toward Lucy.
"Lucy, I've come to take you away from here. Let's run away quickly. wait, hey! What's with that necklace, a new fad?"
"Th-this is─"
"Well, never mind. I'll hear the details later, for now let's run away from here."
Lucy was happy.
Just like a romance novel or chick-lit story, a knight in shining armor came to rescue her from her captor.
She raised her hand to grab it, but, she remembered something at that moment.
(He has girlfriends.)
(He's an engaged man.)
(Besides, it's just his usual way of concern towards others. If Erselica-chan or... his fiancés were in such a situation, he would certainly come to their rescue as well.)
She immediately withdrew it.
Rudel looked puzzled.
"... Lucy? What are you doing? Give me your hand quickly so we can go!"
Lucy remembered Jude's words.
Jude used a lot of people as hostages to get her. She didn't know what he would do if he escaped from here.
And then, there was Rudel.
A war would occur between the Kingdom and Aster over her. That was something she certainly didn't want, as Rudel would definitely not allow her to be taken.
That kindness and concern for others was what made her fall madly in love with him.
At the same time, it was what she hated as other women discovered long before she did.
Lucy hated that she wasn't that girl who was the first to notice him.
(I will be a bother to him if I stay by his side. And, both, their country and they will be involved because of me. A foreigner.)
He was a man who also had fiancés.
She couldn't stay by his side and bother him... she didn't want to trust him. She wanted to forget him quickly.
Lucy looked at Rudel's face. Her voice was trembling.
"... G-Go away."
"Huh?"
Lucy showed a determined act toward the surprised Rudel.
"I'm telling you to leave! I'm the priestess of Aster. Y-you shouldn't... you should be involved in this. Don't come to save me just because you feel like it. I'm here of my own free will."
"I..."
Lucy flashed a very obvious fake smile, her heart aching at what she was about to say.
"I, actually... I did love Jude, but... he was very annoying and now he's changed. So, go away, I don't want to see you!"
She said things she didn't even want to say because she didn't want to involve Rudel in this.
"This just makes me miserable, so go home already."
She fell in love with someone who already had fiancés, and on top of that, she was going to be saved by him.
She was ashamed of herself, who could only trust others. At the same time, she didn't want to involve Rudel any further than this.
Lucy turned away and looked down.
"... Leave at once, I'll try not to get you punished for this."
Ixion didn't say anything, he just looked at Lucy and then at his master.
Rudel was trembling.
Something similar happened in the past. He saved Airi and Alisa from a horrible fate, also the Kingdom and Erselica.
But, this was the first time where his famous phrase "Rescuing someone in trouble is so cliché" that made him see that he was neither a hero nor the protagonist of a story.
Rudel just closed his mouth and looked down at the floor, then climbed aboard Battler to leave. New knights were beginning to arrive.
Just before the cabin closed, Lucy turned around, lifted her face and held out her hand. She really wanted to be saved.
She wanted to scream at him. "Take me with you, please save me, you're the one I really love!"
But she immediately covered her mouth with her hands and sat down on the floor.
Lucy cried as the door closed. And Battler took off.
Her escape from this hell, gone from her hands to erase her one-sided love.
(Yes. This is... this is good. This is the right thing to do. If I hold on, everything should be okay.)
(I... I must forget it, it's bad for my heart to keep loving a engaged man.)
The Banfield Household forces arrived at Lucy's room.
The mansion was in chaos because of what had happened, but at least the priestess was not kidnapped.
SUY NGHĨ CỦA NGƯỜI SÁNG TẠO 
Siegburn
Siegburn We start the last chapters before the climax.
The chapter you all want to see is coming soon.
Lucy is in trouble, the only one who can save her is Rudel.
The cliché of rescuing the maiden in danger will happen, but...
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