After the beating that scum Derrick gave me; we returned to Erselica's mansion in a taxi. A taxi is equivalent to a limousine but of a different color and very expensive.
"What do you mean Ixion betrayed you?"
Allen opened the door for us, and the idiots came to our aid.
Cana went for some healing elixirs stored in the kitchen. Chlust used them for his training, it seems.
After my face and body had recovered just like Liam's, I told them what happened.
"It's exactly as you hear. Ixion... that bastard left me for that scum Derrick. What's worse, my aircraft is his, and who knows what he might be capable of."
Everyone was anxious about what I said. Liam looked towards the floor.
"Bradford... I'm sorry. It's all my fault... if only... I hadn't accepted any duel..."
It seems it affected him quite a bit.
"You're wrong, idiot prince."
"The fault lies with that bastard Ixion who didn't defend me."
That's right, that good-for-nothing scrap should have been annoyed with me. When everything is his fault, if he were a good servant, he would never have insulted me.
"What will we do now?" Frey asked.
"We can't just return to the kingdom like this. I'm not saying it's because they stole the transportation we came on. But because returning cowardly due to what they did to you would be a dishonor for the kingdom." Chlust added.
"You idiot boys!"
Erselica, after cleaning the blood from Liam, stood up to yell at them.
"Right now, the important thing is to return home and ask for help! We don't know what that guy might do with my onii— with Rudel-kun's lost object!"
Upon hearing that, I laughed a little.
They noticed my laughter. I showed them my face.
"You're wrong about that, Reinfield-san."
"Reinfield-san?" She looked at me with a terrified face.
"That's right. Going back with our tail between our legs now would be crazy. Therefore, only one option remains."
I showed a sweet smile since I wasn't angry.
"I'll give them a week to return the aircraft. Or else... I'll do it my way."
With those words, I left the mansion.
In a week, that bastard Derrick will learn what it means to beg for forgiveness.
◇◇◇
Right at the moment Rudel left, Erselica started sweating coldly.
"That Bradford... has he really matured, hasn't he?" Frey wondered, surprised by what happened.
"Has he? Perhaps the war made him grow emotionally, unlike his height." Chlust responded.
Liam got up wanting to take a bath because of what happened, but his eyes stopped on Erselica, who was trembling.
As he approached her, she grabbed his shoulders.
"Liam, tomorrow early we are going to the embassy!"
"What's wrong with you? It's obvious we'll do that."
"You don't understand! None of you! You have no idea what those words meant!"
Everyone looked at Erselica confused.
But in her head, she knew the reason.
(He specified a week, that means next Tuesday, this country and Derrick will meet their end...)
Erselica hugged herself in fear. A fear related to a memory.
(Onii-chan is a man who doesn't forgive unless you show remorse.)
(His smile. That calm smile he made is proof that he's really angry with Derrick and Ixion.)
(Stupid idiots! Why do you seek to anger the person with the worst thirst for revenge in the world?)
(If he called me by my surname as if we were strangers. It means his desire to kill him is really intense.)
Erselica clenched her teeth in fear.
(Tomorrow, no matter what, we must recover his aircraft.)
◇◇◇
The next morning at Altfode's descent.
Liam and Erselica arrived very early and were attended by a random diplomat.
"A protest! Let's file a formal protest! This act is completely unjust and oppressive!"
But the diplomat, who still had a sleepy face, responded.
"I'm very sorry. We will report this upon returning, but I don't think it will bring the result you desire, Erselica-sama."
"Why!? I just want them to return the aircraft!"
That was all she needed. She could somehow manage to calm Rudel.
The diplomat shook his head, despite hearing what they did to his prince.
"Currently, the kingdom is importing magic stones in large quantities from Aster."
"Huh? ... Ah!"
Erselica remembered her conversation on the aircraft before arriving in the supreme kingdom. Aster was a strong country with abundant resources that could export magic stones. Even the kingdom would want to avoid conflict with that country.
Furthermore, they were also a militarily powerful enemy that was undefeated in defensive and offensive battle.
"We will file a complaint to the assembly of the six great nobles. We will also report this to the kingdom. But I don't think Aster will take it seriously."
"Why~!?"
Erselica felt like crying.
Liam accompanied her here so she wouldn't cry. He took charge of speaking with the staff.
"Can't you do something? No matter how you look at it, they've gone too far."
"... Your Highness, this is the kingdom of aristocratic supremacy, don't forget. However, to think you'd be the target of the Herring Household."
"Is that Household's reputation really that bad?"
"They are the worst Household among the six great nobles."
Erselica was anxious inside.
(W-What do I do now? At this rate, my older brother will really destroy this country!)
Erselica immediately planned her next move after discovering it would be useless even if she complained to the embassy.
◇◇◇
That same morning, Lucy discovered the classroom atmosphere was strange when she arrived at the academy.
"Good morning~"
She gave her greeting but received no response.
Far from that, her classmates were avoiding looking at her.
"Huh? What?"
Lucy was shocked, but she noticed something else strange.
"Huh? Why are there fewer desks?"
The desks and chairs filled the classroom. Some of them were removed, so now there were two empty spots within the class.
Those spots were where Rudel and Liam sat before.
Her gaze scanned the inside of the classroom. Most of her classmates looked on awkwardly.
Furthermore, she also couldn't find the foreign students.
"... What is happening?"
Lucy approached a close friend, but the girl began to fidget, and her gaze wandered suspiciously.
"Did something happen?"
"U-Umm."
The girl seemed worried. It was a boy Lucy was close to who gave an explanation in her place.
"The foreign students from our class were victims of Derrick; something big happened yesterday, they say. Since morning, rumors have been circulating that they were eliminated according to witnesses from different areas. Lucy, you were also going to be attacked. What did you do?"
"W-Why are you asking me!? I haven't done anything! Forget that, are you all just going to obediently follow the words of that kind of guy!?"
Her classmates averted their gaze from her.
The position of the six great nobles was absolute in Aster. The nobles chosen by the sacred tree not only had influence but could also use a portion of the sacred tree's power.
They would be incapable of living in this country if they defied the nobles.
Lucy immediately ran out of the classroom.
However, she ran into Jude, who was waiting for her in the hallway.
"Good morning, Lucy."
Jude greeted her with a smile. Lucy felt a chill seeing him this morning.
"... Jude."
"Feel like accepting my love now?"
There was no doubt this individual was involved with the situation inside the classroom.
(Would this guy go that far? Also, why is he carrying a collar with him?)
Jude was showing her a refreshing smile, but his hands held a chain and a collar for some reason.
"Isn't this collar pretty? This will be the proof of our love. If you're going to run away from me, then I have no choice but to tie you with this so you can't run anywhere."
(He's lying, right? What's with this guy?)
It was a scene straight out of a horror movie, right in the morning. Lucy immediately ran away from Jude.
Jude didn't pursue her.
"Soon you'll learn reality and return to me. I look forward to that, my beloved."
Lucy's brain couldn't comprehend what was happening.
But there was only one thing she knew. It would be bad if she didn't flee from here. Lucy's sense of danger was ringing loudly inside her.
(This is bad. That guy right now is really a sign of bad news. I need to do something, if not...)
Lucy went to ask her younger sister, Diana, for help.
◇◇◇
Around that time, such problems were happening at the academy, and there was also a commotion at the port.
"Hyahyahya!"
Derrick was piloting Battler to fly through the aircraft coming and going from the port.
The armored unit flew past at high speed right beside the aircraft. The shockwave from that movement shook the ships' hulls.
The crews and passengers on the ships' decks panicked from the shaking. Derrick opened his mouth wide and burst out laughing upon seeing that.
"This thing is amazing! It has a poor appearance, but its power and speed are the best!"
Ixion's voice sounded inside Battler's pilot cockpit.
"Good to know you're having fun, Master Derrick."
"Hey, you, one-eye. Tell me more about this thing. Is there anything else interesting I can do?"
He had been testing the Schwert and Battler's performance since early morning.
The result put Derrick in a good mood, leading him to wildly cause trouble at the port.
"Even if you say that, the guards are heading here right now."
"No way those idiots would go against me! The great Derrick of the Herring Household. I'll crush them if they have any complaints."
"I see. So, a member of the six great nobles has influence stronger than even a government official."
"Don't ask me about something so obvious. More importantly, this made me want to test it in real combat. Isn't there a useful enemy somewhere I can use to test this baby?"
"In that case, I think the Kingdom of Altfode would be appropriate."
"What. You want to kill your previous owner? You're also a dirty bastard."
"... Perhaps that's true."
"But, the Kingdom of Altfode is quite large. It's the right opponent for me to accumulate achievements. Should I send them their prince's head to provoke them?"
"Do you plan to create a situation where the kingdom is forced to attack so it becomes a defensive battle for Aster, Master Derrick?"
"They'll come if I provoke them. This is Aster. There won't be any chance of us losing while the sacred tree's divine protection is with us."
It seemed Derrick was having fun. He continued talking boastfully without being careful about what he said.
"... I see. I understand. In that case, perhaps it's better to target someone else."
"Aah?"
"Rudel von Bradford, he is a hero in the Kingdom of Altfode. If you take his head, Master Derrick, not only will it become an achievement for you, but the kingdom also won't be able to stay silent."
Ixion showed a hologram of two girls.
"His fiancées, the one on the left is a commoner who compensates for her lack of status with her charming personality, while the one on the right is the daughter of an archduke in the kingdom. The royal family also won't be able to stay silent. Best of all, both are untouched flowers."
"Hee~, that's great. I'll kill that hero and take his women; it'll be interesting, gyahaha."
Derrick's thoughts while sticking out his tongue were vulgar to the extreme.
"Yes, Rudel should become a good target."
In that way, Ixion was guiding Derrick to attack his former master.
◇◇◇
At the academy.
Diana was in a bad mood because Lucy called her since morning. She didn't even try to hide it in her expression.
"Why do I have to skip the first period like this?"
"I'm really sorry. But, the situation is really bad, so I want to ask for your help."
They were twin sisters, but their personalities were completely different.
If Lucy was a frank and lively girl, Diana was a firm and intellectual girl.
Diana let out a long sigh and listened to Lucy while crossing her arms.
"What did you do?"
"It wasn't me! Derrick is hunting Rudel-kun and the other foreign students. What's more, it seems Jude is also helping him. He told me several scary things in the morning."
Lucy was also confused at this moment. She couldn't explain herself well.
Diana showed no concern on her face.
"I know about the matter with Derrick. But leaving that aside, you just need to go out with Jude to avoid all these problems."
"... I told you before. I hate the current him. This is because you're instigating him."
"Are you saying this is my fault? It was you who said you didn't dislike him, so I advised him on how to get along with you. There shouldn't be any problem. He's attractive, rich, and also the heir of a great noble Household."
"I won't fall in love with someone like that because of those kinds of things!"
In the past, Jude was kinder. Lucy didn't hate him then.
But, without her noticing, his desire to monopolize her grew stronger. He would interfere with everything Lucy was doing.
It was Diana who gave Jude a push in the back.
"Those kinds of things? Do you want to talk about childish things like love or whatever? Grow up already."
"Diana, what's wrong with you? You're not normally this cold with me."
They were twins, but their way of thinking was different.
Lucy couldn't accept this part of Diana.
"... Anyway, I hate Jude."
"Ah, I see. Even so, I wish you wouldn't bother me. I'm also busy with my own matters."
"I-I'm sorry. But this time the danger is really real. Help me."
Lucy felt she was in danger after meeting Jude in the morning. She hugged herself in fear.
But even seeing her older sister like this, Diana did nothing more than look at her with a cold gaze.
"You just need to go out with Jude for the problem to disappear. You'll also be able to help those foreign students by doing that."
"Diana, you're not listening to what I'm saying!"
Diana turned around to leave. Lucy clung to Diana's arms, but she shook her off roughly."
"Kyah!"
Diana was looking angrily at Lucy, who fell on her back.
"You really are a nuisance, sister. I told you I'm busy now. I'll try to talk to Lugh about Derrick, but resolve the matter of Jude by yourself."
Lucy watched Diana leave and looked down trembling.
"But... what should I do now?"
◇
It was night, and it was raining.
I was returning home after making various purchases. At the gate, I found a surprise waiting for me.
It was the opposite of a cute lost animal, but the thing is, the girl sitting with her head buried between her legs was cute.
I stood in a position where I could place my umbrella over her.
"What brings you at this hour? I don't think it's to lend me your notes."
Lucy lifted her face.
"I'm sorry. I don't want to go home today; I also have no other place to stay."
There was no liveliness inside her smile. It was quite clear she was forcing herself to smile.
"I went to the place where I work to ask for help... but everyone turned their back on me, even the manager. No one looked my way; I understand their reasons well... but, even so, it hurts."
"Do you want to come in?"
"I'm sorry. I'm really sorry. I came here even though you yourself must have many problems right now."
It seems she knew about our situation.
"How was the situation at the academy?"
Lucy scratched her head with her right hand and laughed while telling me.
"Over there was the worst."
"I see."
I went inside with my shopping bag in hand. Then I told Lucy to come in.
◇
Lucy was petting Lucy-chan. It was a mysterious sight.
I asked her about many things while she did that, but there were many differences in her story compared to the story I heard from Erselica.
Jude's attitude and words were truly unthinkable for a conquest target, and even more so for a sane guy.
Furthermore, Derrick was causing problems for us instead of the heroine. No, I think the event was proceeding correctly but in the wrong way. Will it be the same as what happened on the cruise ship? Did a mysterious possibility activate that somehow triggered this?
Lucy was being cornered by Jude, while conversely, Diana was being protected by Lugh.
(I can't determine who the heroine is this way.)
I arranged the table and wrote a letter on it. Lucy was watching me.
"What are you doing?"
"I'm writing a letter for home. I also have to send souvenirs soon; otherwise, my family will become annoyed. I also have to report on what happened recently."
I needed to inform that garbage king, alias bastard son of a bitch, alias son of a bitch who possesses a beautiful wife, alias my sworn enemy, Leonis, that Aster was about to fight with me.
I really wanted to see what kind of face he would make when he read my report.
I was enthusiastically writing several letters.
"I'm sorry you're going through something like this even though you came here to study abroad."
Lucy was apologizing to me. I told her, "It's okay. First of all, I was the one who decided to come here." I came to cut off a future worry at the root.
She didn't need to apologize to me; it wasn't her fault.
"Will you and the others return to your country?"
"It's also a possibility. But, I don't think I can return until I recover my aircraft from that rat Derrick."
"... It's impossible. You won't be able to recover it easily after the sacred tree oath has come into play in this way."
"You know a lot."
"W-Well, more or less."
I looked at Lucy, who hurriedly tried to downplay her knowledge while considering my plan from now on.
"Even if it doesn't look like it, I'm a minister at my age. It will become a political problem if I flee to my country with my tail between my legs. Also, I need to collect considerable compensation from this country that won't apologize even after its noble went this far."
I'm a very vengeful man, even though no one believes it.
I was planning to endure things up to a certain point, but Derrick had crossed the line.
As expected, I can't stand these events that have nothing to do with me and somehow involve me.
"Really?"
Lucy asked me, surprised. I nodded towards her.
"The problem is how to drag Derrick into a duel so he uses the oath. Is there any treasure, one so extraordinary that anyone would jump at it even if it's a trap?"
Lucy looked a bit surprised.
"I heard the people of Altfode are brave, but this far exceeded my imagination. To think you still want to try to challenge Derrick even after what he's done to you. He has the divine protection of the sacred tree, you know?"
"I don't care about that. I'll crush anyone who makes fun of me, whether woman or man."
The legend of invincibility of the Supreme Kingdom of Aster was clearly related to the sacred tree. That was our hypothesis.
In fact, that hypothesis was correct.
"Well, now I'll take my time to prepare for next week. Lucy, if you have nowhere to go, and if you want, you can stay here living as long as you like."
"... Huh?"
Lucy trembled when I told her that. I calmed her down so she wouldn't think I plan to do something to her.
"Don't worry. I won't do anything strange to you. I'm harmless. You can't go back home, right?"
"... Y-Yes."
It seemed she had fought with her younger sister, Diana, but this house had some empty rooms, so there would be no problem even if she stayed here for a while.
Because Ixion wasn't by my side, it would be scarier not to know where Lucy would be.
◇◇◇
The assembly of the six great nobles was the location.
In the territory of the extinct Vermilion Household, an important meeting was taking place. The building was shaped like a temple and was below one of the great roots of the sacred tree.
The current heads of the six great nobles gathered there.
Unimportant agendas were attended by their subordinates, but there were matters that needed their permission to be carried out. They held a discussion about such matters today.
The current head, Randolf Ciel Rosenberg, was reading a report aloud.
"In the port, soldiers have found traces of a drug called 'angel dust,' which has recently been spreading in different places in the Lunor, Herring, Wayne, and Rosenberg territories."
He was a man of tall and robust build in the game, but in his current appearance, he doesn't even resemble that. His body is the same, but he's thin; his blonde hair was dry, and gray hairs were visible on the left side of his head. His bright green eyes, like his daughter's, showed an emptiness like those of a dead fish.
His beard connected with his sideburns; it was unkempt like his thin mustache.
He seemed not to have slept much from the bags under his eyes. It was almost like seeing a different version of Rudel.
"There have also been strange rumors of seeing the Cashmiro Family lurking around the port. Baltort, pass them the documents."
"Yes."
A man in armor with a cape approached other knights who were behind their respective great nobles.
The man, Baltort, was a tall, robust knight whose build wasn't evident in his armor but was in his arms. His hair was blonde, his eyes brown, and he had a long chin with little facial hair.
He was an antagonist character in the game, as he was a chevalier. A chevalier is what they call the great knights chosen as the right-hand men of one of the great nobles.
All the great nobles reviewed the documents.
One of them, Wenz Eliol Lunor, Lugh's father. A short man with a split beard, brown hair with a mustache that reached his sideburns, read the document very intensely.
(I don't understand it!)
He was sweating coldly.
(I don't understand anything it says here. I understood there were problems in my territory, but from that point on, everything is so confusing.)
He touched his chin, trying to appear as if the document in his hands was crucial.
(I'll tell my younger brother, Elijah, to read it for me. I hope Randolf-dono doesn't ask me things. I'm no good at this. I want to go eat.)
Beside him, a man was watching him; he was the head of the Wayne Household, Lucian Noctis Wayne. A tall, thin man with small eyes like his nose. Large lips, long sideburns, and black hair combed to the sides.
(Look at that useless Lunor, trying to appear as if he understands what it says. I agree with you; your younger brother would be a better head for your Household than you are. But if you did that, it would mean my Household is below yours once more. I can tolerate the other three, but I will never tolerate you two, old incompetents.)
This man was the father of Zack, one of the game characters and a capture target.
(Certainly, there are strange rumors. But Rosenberg, what do you want me to do? I do everything I can so my Household tries to surpass the pretty boy's.)
His eyes focused on a man who was at the other end of the round table.
Behind him was a window showing the outside; the light came in and touched his back. The glare made his figure look like that of a beautiful angel.
He read the document intensely.
That man was Linus Ian Exner, a character from the game, Tom's older half-brother, and above all; a conquest target.
Among them all, he was the youngest, having just turned 24.
His features were those of a very handsome man with fair skin, thin but with muscles, blonde hair like corn silk falling down his nape, and cold blue eyes. He was extremely tall, but not as much as the man next to him.
He was very burly; it was almost like a mass of muscles like Chlust's father. His skin was tanned from training under the sun. His eyes were green, and his red hair was combed back with four strands in front, marking a sort of shark-like pattern on his forehead. His hair was tied in a thin ponytail that was tied from his nape and reached his back.
His muscles were so large it seemed the buttons on his suit would burst.
"Randolf-dono, let's not waste time on these things."
Spoke the burly man who was Jude's father and head of the Banfield Household, Cliff Gaia Banfield, while lighting a cigar.
"If all we need to do is increase surveillance, then so be it. Besides, they are in territories where the lack of political organization is to blame. Sorry, I don't mean yours but the others'."
Despite apologizing, Cliff showed his obvious mockery towards Randolf.
He paid no attention to it.
"If that's all. Then does everyone agree?"
"Agree." Five voices shouted in unison.
"Good. Let's move on to next week's matter..."
Randolf's eyes opened at what he read. They turned to the last of the six great nobles.
"Care to explain the meaning of this, Herring-dono?"
A man of medium stature and belly was eating fried chicken until he was called.
He wiped his mouth with a handkerchief that was already greasy. The man had messy green hair; he kept it like that because he was going bald in one area and tried to hide it. His eyes were brown; some teeth were missing and were also yellow.
He belched before speaking; the father of Derrick, the head of the Herring Household, Randy Zaja Herring was.
"You had to read it, didn't you? My son told me about that matter beforehand. But you know, interim head. Is the matter really that important?"
Everyone looked at him with repulsive eyes, not only for his unpleasant appearance or his body odor, his words were much worse than what they saw or smelled.
"Are you saying that stealing a foreigner's aircraft and tormenting him is an unimportant matter?"
"No, no, no. I mean, he's a noble from a small country, right? Is it really worth making a fuss? Besides, my son swore by the sacred tree before starting the whole problem."
"Hmph, aren't you ashamed to use the sacred tree's name for something as vulgar as that?"
The one who said that was the head of the Wayne Household.
Randy looked at him with a confident smile in his words.
"I'm not using the sacred tree's name in vain. I'm simply saying my son won it fairly."
"If that's the case, there shouldn't be a problem."
The one backing Randy was Cliff.
"Aster is a country that prides itself on its land; what does it really matter if a peasant from a small country complains? Let's just give them a few magic stones as compensation, and they'll shut up. Or, if they prefer war, the Banfield Household will take care of them as it did during the war twenty years ago, hahaha."
Twenty years ago, the second world war broke out. It involved Aster. The republic tried to attack them, but back then, the young heir of the Banfield Household went out to defeat them.
"I don't think we should waste more time on it. One of Aster's unwritten rules is to never humiliate oneself before a loser. Interim head, unimportant matters are few; please continue with the vital matters."
Randolf looked at them all with a tired gaze but one that emanated his contempt.
(These guys are really the worst; each of them only thinks of themselves. This may be an international problem, but I hate to admit it, Cliff is right about one thing. And that is that Aster is a country that never humiliates itself. I wish he would stop thinking like that since his sons will inherit that way of thinking.)
Randolf exhaled for a brief moment.
(The future of Aster is dark if they continue with that mindset. But I also can't bow to a country asking for apologies while being the interim head of an entire nation.)
"Good. If everyone agrees with the reward of magic stones to the Kingdom of Altfode for the troubles."
"Agree."
Before turning the page, Randolf felt curious about a name.
"Rudel?"
Linus asked him curiously.
"Is something wrong, interim head?"
"No. Nothing in particular."
"Very well. The next topic is about the sapling. This year also seems impossible to delve deeper into the cave due to the Jaggerjarck..."
The discussion topic about Rudel's aircraft was ignored as if it were an unimportant matter.