Novel Full Volume 10, Chapter 10 “Ghost Airship”
Volume 10, Chapter 10 “Ghost Airship”
Part 1
I hurried out to the deck and found Ange, dressed in plain clothes, had come ahead of me.
Holding on to the railing, Ange’s gaze is drawn to a floating airship that gives off an eerie atmosphere.
The airship, which was so tattered that it was a wonder it had not destroyed, was in a very old shape.
Sailing ship.
Airships with outlined sails and propelled by the force of the wind are not uncommon today.
But it did not have the features of an airship that would be common today.
And the shape is also outdated.
It had an angular shape rather than a streamlined form.
“From what era is this airship?”
[I would guess that the airship is several hundred years old. If you want to find out more details, we’ll have to get on board and investigate.]
“Please do not tell me to get on board or something. It’s a ghost ship by the looks of it.”
Part of it is broken, and the wooden hull creaks and makes eerie noises just as it moves.
In addition, it was covered with black clouds in a sky that was becoming night.
It looks like the black smoke that is generated when the monster disappears.
The appearance of the airship, which looked like it might be haunted, made me whine in my mind, “Give me a break”.
As I approach the railing, Ange notices me and starts talking to me.
“Leon, how do you see that airship?”
“Why is there a ghost ship floating around in this place?”, when Ange asks me about it, I tell her without thinking too much about the guesses I came up with.
“Isn’t that the airship that went missing a long time ago? Can we leave it here?”
“I’d prefer to recover it if I could, but I’m afraid it would break just to transport it. More than that, I never thought I’d see that type of airship moved.”
“A-re? Does Ange know?”
“Aa~, I have a model in my house.”
The Redgrave family apparently has a model of an old form of airship on display.
Is it a hobby of the rich?
“I’m surprised. That shape is good?”
“No, that type of airship was built cheaply and in large numbers. They are not comfortable to ride in, and I heard that they sank easily in a storm.”
“Isn’t it the worst?”
What a terrible airship!
However, it is probably a miracle that such an airship remains unmanned to this day.
If it weren’t so creepy on the outside, I might have been impressed.
However, the impression Ange had was different from mine.
“I’m so happy today. I never thought I would see with my own eyes the airship our ancestors flew on.”
“Ancestors? Eh, did Ange’s ancestors ride on that thing?!”
As I can’t understand the story, Ange explains with a troubled look on her face.
“You don’t know that? That’s the type of airship our ancestors used when they settled the continent where the kingdom is now.”
“Eh?!”
Ange carefully tells me, who knows nothing about it, the story of those days.
“I have heard that before the kingdom was founded, the continent was flooded with various settlers as a new land. The airship that was used at that time was that type of airship, which is inexpensive and can carry a large amount of cargo. I never thought I’d see it flying in the sky with my own eyes. “
I look at the ghost ship again, but from my point of view, it looks creepy and I don’t want to go near it.
The ancestors crossed the continent on that ship! I am not impressed by such things.
Luxion shone his red lens and analyzed the ghost ship.
[It appears to be a home for monsters. I could see the reaction of the monsters inside.]
Ange is convinced alone.
“So that’s how it remained until today. That’s ironic. If the monsters hadn’t taken over, I wouldn’t have had the chance to see it like this.”
I hold onto the railing and look at Ange’s face from the side.
“You look pretty happy.”
When I call out to her, Ange turns to me and smiles sadly.
“I’m sure this is a day I’ll remember for the rest of my life. We conquered a dungeon and even got to see a rarely seen airship. I’ll never forget this day.”
And Ange said to me.
“――Leon, I like you.”
“Eh? Aa~”
“So I don’t want to be a burden to you.”
“Burden?”
When I tried to say something, Ange finish it by herself, she tell me few words.
“This is as far as I’ve gotten. I’m glad I had this adventure with you. With these memories, I can live on.”
“No, why?”
Bewildered by the sudden talk, a ghost ship was approaching us.
[――The airship itself has become a monster. It is approaching Einhorn and is attempting to make contact. Master, permission to intercept]
“Not now! ――Ange, I never considered you a burden.”
Prioritize Ange over the talk of Luxion.
Ange looked happy to hear my words, but seemed determined.
“I will be a burden from now on. If I stay with you, I will prevent you from living the life you want. My father and brother really intend to involve you in. Finally, over time, they’re going to bring the power of Luxion into the Redgrave family.”
The “over time” part must surely mean generation after generation.
Eventually, I and Ange’s son will inherit Luxion, and then one day join the Redgrave family to monopolize Luxion’s power.
Vince and others were moving toward the future, not the present.
Luxion is stunned.
[I have only recognized one person as a master. I can’t guarantee that thereafter.]
“It doesn’t matter. It’s the same if my father and brother think they can take you in. Leon will not have a peaceful life from now on. Then it would be better for me not to be around.”
I didn’t think Ange had thought about me to this extent.
I have always said that I wanted a more peaceful life on a daily basis, but I didn’t know that Ange was suffering to make that happen.
No, I did not try to know.
“I-I am――”
I reach out my hand and Ange takes a step back and distances herself from me.
“You can be more free. Just take care of Livia and ―― Noel. You won’t be lonely with them around, will you?”
I was at a loss for words when she smiled at me like a mischievous child.
There are plenty of words to get me through this.
I’m good at making excuses.
If I wanted to, I could say embarrassing lines like “I need you” or “I’ll never let you go,” if I wanted to not break up with Ange.
But I think it wouldn’t touch Ange’s heart.
I looked down and finally understood.
“Haha, I got dumped right”
The relationship with Ange was over.
Ange shakes her head.
“No, you’re not. I’m the one who broke the promise. I am the only one at fault. So you are not to blame.”
I’m not saying it’s all my fault, but it’s my fault for pushing Ange to this point.
There was a difference in values between me, who values the individual, and Ange, who values the household.
Not understanding it, the bill for neglecting the problem has just been paid here.
―― I knew it would come to pass.
A woman named Ange was not the appropriate woman for me.
“I am――”
When I finally try to say something to Ange, Einhorn shakes violently.
Ange about to fall down in front of me, I jumped as quickly as I could and held her in my arms.
“What happened?!”
I quickly turned my gaze around and before I knew it, the ghost ship had reached Einhorn.
On the deck of the ghost ship, undead monsters, dressed like sky pirates, are looking at us.
They were coming toward us in droves.
“Ha? Oi, Luxion!”
‘Why did you allow it to approach?’ Luxion, sensing that he would be blamed that way, immediately blames me.
[It was Master who didn’t give permission to intercept. More importantly, if things continue as they are, the monsters are going to get into Einhorn.]
Sure, I didn’t give permission! I didn’t give it, but!
“You usually do something about it! Damn! Tell everyone to get their weapons!”
[A warning has been issued]
“Okay, next, Einhorn――”
[Because contact has been made, so interception is impossible.]
“Eh?”
[It’s impossible]
I was going to blow up the ghost ship with Einhorn’s artillery, but Luxion says he can’t attack it if he’s in contact with it, and I’m in trouble.
Ange, in my arms, asks Luxion how to get out of this situation.
“What should we do?”
[Please invade the enemy ship together. Defeat the monster that has taken possession of the airship from the inside and you will survive this situation.]
I ran out of the room and am unarmed.
I said to Ange.
“I get it. Call the five idiots. And bring the weapons――”
[We don’t have much time, so I’ll leave it to the two of you. And, I have prepared the weapons for you.]
When the service robots appear from inside the ship, they bring our equipment.
For some reason, a well-prepared Luxion seems suspicious.
Me and Ange get up and grab our equipment.
Shotguns and machine guns. Others are pistols and swords.
[No enemy monsters have been identified as a threat. The two of you will have to invade the inner part of the airship and defeat the airship-controlling monsters and that will be the end of it.]
You make it sound so simple, but I realized one thing here.
“Eh? Two of us, what about you?”
[I have work to do, so I cannot accompany you.]
“No, come along. Just leave the work to Creare.”
[No can do]
A very stubborn Luxion points his red lens at the monsters who are trying to get from us to Einhorn.
[The enemy is already coming in. Please hurry]
With a shotgun, I complain to Luxion.
“What do you mean a work? Remember this later.”
When Ange held the machine gun, she let out a small sigh.
“It’s not that big of an airship. Two of us should be enough. Leon, let’s go.”
As the two of us ran off together, Luxion murmured meaningfully.
[Good luck with your battle. ――And a lot of things]
.
Part 2
Livia rushed out to the deck and found Luxion there.
There are robots in the surroundings, wearing only the upper half of their armor.
Watching the robots take down the monsters trying to get into the Einhorn one after the other is like a work in progress.
The sight made Livia feel a little uncomfortable.
(No. I need to make sure Leon-san and the others are safe now)
“Luk-kun!”
When she summons up the courage to speak to Luxion, his red lens is pointed at Livia.
[Olivia, I thought I told you to stay inside?]
“I can’t find Leon-san and Ange anywhere! I thought maybe something had happened. But Are-chan didn’t say anything.”
A ghost ship was approaching and they were instructed to stay on board because of the danger.
Everyone gathered in the hall where they were instructed to go despite their discontent.
But only Leon and Ange were not there.
Concerned Livia thus burst out onto the deck, but Luxion is unperturbed to hear that they are not there.
(――Scary)
Livia had dreamed of a scene in which Luxion was committing genocide.
The scene at that time was so vivid that it made Luxion look inevitably scary.
Even though she tried to forget it, the fear never left her.
[The two of them are fine]
“But!”
“――This is necessary for both of them.”
After that, Luxion did not speak any more.
.
Part 3
Inside the Einhorn.
The people gathered in the hall looked restless and concerned about the outside.
Weapon in hand, they look out the window.
Jake folded his arms, frustrated by the situation.
“Why not just blow up the ghost ship with a cannon and be done with it.”
Aare is standing by his side, soothing Jake.
“I hear there are treasures on the ghost ship, aren’t they investigating it?”
“Is that so? Then we’ll take the ghost ship’s treasure, even though we lost in the old castle.”
Oskar speaks to Jake, who is motivated when he hears about the treasure, as if he has just remembered something.
“His Highness Jake is always so bullish. I’ve heard some horror stories about ghost ships myself, so I choose to run away rather than blow them up with a cannon.”
“You’re a pretty coward for being my foster brother.”
“Oya? You don’t know? Well, I’ll tell you a ghost story about a ghost ship that I know――”
For some reason, in a group of first-year students start telling ghost stories.
As Oskar begins to tell scary stories about the ghost ship, Jake’s face gradually turns pale.
Finn, who was watching the situation with a steely gaze, evaluated them in his mind.
(Jake, Oskar ―― I still can’t leave Mia to either of them. It’s no good talking nonsense in this situation. Not when you’re befriending another woman in the first place.)
And Aare was out of the question because of the gender change.
When the three capture targets were rejected by Finn, Mia, who knew nothing about it, was frightened.
“Knight-sama, ghost ships really do exist. Mia is scared.”
Finn looks warmly at Mia, who is honestly scared.
“Don’t be afraid. I will protect you. Don’t worry. If the airship is that big, me and Kurosuke will sink it in no time.”
[Leave it to me!]
Finn moves closer to Mia, who is scared, and gently holds her hand.
Mia’s face was reddening.
“Mia ―― Are you having a cold? Why didn’t you tell me you weren’t feeling well? I’ll have the medicine ready for you right away, you just wait and see. Kurosuke, get me a couch and a blanket.”
[―― My partner can be a stupid sometimes, can’t he.]
Seeing Mia’s red face, Finn immediately judges that she is not feeling well.
His partner, Brave, looked complicated when he saw Finn like that.
Mia waves her hands and desperately states she does not have a cold.
“No! You’re wrong, please calm down!”
“No. Maybe you just don’t realize it? We can’t go back to our room, but you can lie down on the couch.”
Mia has mixed feelings about Finn being too overprotective.
“Uwh, I’m flattered, but Knight-sama is so, so.”
“What? Tell me anything you want.”
“Uuuuwh. ―― Idiot”
When she looks down and whisperingly calls him an idiot, Finn is shocked.
It was as if a bolt of lightning had struck him, and he froze alone.
(Mia hates meeee? What did I do wrong?!)
Part 4
We stormed into the ghost ship.
However, a big problem arose here.
“I can’t take another step”
It was Ange who looked at me sitting down and gave me a dumbfounded look.
Ange, with a machine gun in each hand, lets out a deep sigh and points at something lying on the floor.
It was the monster we had just defeated, about to disappear in a puff of smoke.
“Leon, the monster you just saw is a ghost type that cannot be hit by physical attacks. Don’t worry, you can easily defeat it by using magic.”
A short time after we entered the ship, a ghostly enemy attacked us.
I got scared and attacked it with a shotgun, but it slipped through them and they attacked me.
Immediately, Ange burned them down with magic, but my heart was already broken.
“――I can’t. It made me weak in the knees.”
“Oi ?! Where are you who put a stop to that evil monster?!”
When Ange found out I was too scared to move, she was terribly surprised.
Even I know something from earlier was a monster.
I know, but they were like real ghosts, they were scary.
Or rather, they’re real, right? And they’re also very deadly, and they’re going to attack you in a creepy way.
It was deformed in the game, but I couldn’t stand to see it in real life.
“I’m afraid of enemies who can’t be hit! I’m not good with something like a ghost!”
When I finally shout out my true feelings, Ange pulls in her cheeks.
“I knew you weren’t good with undead monsters, but I didn’t expect you to be this bad.”
I have never gone through videos, images, and articles featuring scary stories whenever possible, even in my previous life.
If someone was telling a scary story, I stayed as far away as possible.
A test of courage? It doesn’t make sense.
I have made it through without participating whenever possible.
I have memories of being made to do it for school events on occasion, in my mind, I was cursing those who made me go to haunted places for a test of courage, saying, “Punish them!”
“――I can’t walk alone anymore”
When I tell her why I can’t move, Ange presses her forehead with her hand.
“I get it. I’ll finish the monsters. You stay here――”
“Are you leaving me alone!”
“O-Oi, let go. Leon, please don’t cling to my legs.”
I desperately cling to Ange’s leg.
Ange had a troubled, yet happy look on her face.
“There was something you weren’t good at, too.”
“Please don’t leave me”
I cling and plead, and Ange strokes my head.
Apparently, she felt she couldn’t leave me like this.
Perhaps to reassure me, she uses a gentle tone of voice to calm me down.
“Let’s get some rest and then we’ll go together. This time I’ll go in front, you follow from behind.”
“Yes”
Ange, who can be relied on in such a situation, looked dazzling to me.
.
.
Part 5
The inside of the ghost ship was as old as the outside.
The squeaky floors crack with little effort, and doors shatter just by grabbing them.
There were lots of monsters.
But before it became a place for monsters to live. There were still remnants of the time when people used it, or rather, luggage and other items.
We reach a room and find an old book on a desk.
A number of the books were tattered and unreadable, but one was barely readable.
“This is a sailor’s private room.”
Clinging to Ange’s back as she read her book, I was aware of my surroundings.
If someone once slept in this room, there is a possibility that something remains.
In short, I was worried that a ghost might come out.
“Ange, let’s get this over with and get back.”
Ange, who is stunned by my frightened state, turns the pages of the book.
Some pages seem to fall apart, but some are readable.
“Are you sure you can’t handle this kind of thing? Hasn’t this happened before?”
“I am not good with something scary. Aren’t you scared, Ange?”
“Because I know that the living humans are more terrifying.”
“Ah, Marie said that too.”
“Ah? You mention that woman’s name here, you sound like you want to be left behind.”
I’ve pissed Ange off, and I cling desperately to her.
Then Ange gets embarrassed.
“O-Oi, I’m just kidding, don’t hug me. Kora, where are you touching!”
“Forgive me! I can’t handle scary things!”
It is bad enough that there is no Luxion in the first place.
If that guy had been here, he would have taken care of it somehow.
There is no such unscientific thing as ghosts~ and so on.
It’s scary when you don’t have someone you can talk lightly to.
In the first place, I was also afraid of the dungeon I tried to get that guy.
There are human bones normally.
If my life had not been on the line, I would not have actively challenged it.
Ange flips through the pages and tells me what the book is about.
“I think I figured out what happened to this ship. It seems to be the ship of the adventurers who tried to settle on the continent.”
“Adventurers?”
“It was said that a group of young people who dreamed of a new continent were on board. The owner of the diary was angry with the rude people, and there was a lot of complaining in the diary.”
“Why is such a ship here?”
“It’s possible it’s been abandoned. It says they found some great treasure. It must have been a woman who wrote this diary. The last page says she could be with that man.”
Did she have a lover?
Ange looks at the cover of the book and touches it with her right hand.
“In the end, the name of the book’s owner remains unknown. I can’t find the name of the ship either. If the diary had been in better condition, I could have looked it up.”
“L-Let’s get this over with and go back. I’ll have Luxion and Creare look into it later.”
“――You really don’t like ghosts, do you. What’s up with the kingdom’s greatest hero being afraid of ghosts? Those who admire you will be saddened.”
“Scary things are scary.”
Ange puts the book down and leaves the room.
Many of the other cabins had collapsed and could no longer be entered.
As we walked down the tattered passageway to the innermost part, Ange’s footsteps came to a halt.
“Here it is. Leon”
Ange held out her left hand and I handed her the holy water bomb I was carrying. I was now Ange’s baggage carrier.
I move away from Ange and hold up my shotgun to provide support.
However, I am not sure if I can aim firmly at the enemy because I am trembling.
When Ange received it and kicked down the door, we found a mucous-like monster haunting the airship.
But the biggest problem is the ghost-type monsters around it.
“It came ouuut !!”
When I scream, Ange throws the bomb and sprinkles holy water around.
The ghosts struggled and disappeared, and then some attacked.
Scared, I use the shotgun, but the shotshell goes right past the ghosts.
Ange’s was scattering machine gun bullets at the mucus-like monster.
“Leon, I’ll help you when I get this one down, so wait!”
I reached out with my right hand to use magic, but I was too frightened to concentrate and could not gather my magic power and the magic was never released.
“Ange, help me!”
“I told you to wait!”
The ghost-type monsters who slipped through the attack, approached my side were muttering some scary words in my ear.
I can’t hear what they are saying, but I’m scared anyway.
I get goosebumps and a bad sweat breaks out.
“Luxion, help me!”
I didn’t think the name I shouted in a crisis situation would be my hateful partner, Luxion.
Should I praise myself for not yelling, “Help me, Mom!”?
Then, Ange, who had defeated the mucus-like monsters, manipulated the flames to burn the monsters away.
“I told you to wait quietly.”
It was a dependable sight to see Ange, who had wiped out the monsters, appear with the flames behind her carrying a machine gun that emitted smoke from its muzzle.
Ange holds me in her arms.
“The fire is spreading faster than I thought it would. We’re going to get out of here, so hold on tight.”
“――Yes”
Ange holds me like a princess.
I grabbed Ange and put my arms around her neck.
When Ange kicked through the wall, we saw the deck of the Einhorn.
“――That’s too convenient. I’ll question that Luxion later.”
Ange jumped over to Einhorn with me in her arms.
Einhorn moves away from the ghost airship as flames begin to spread.
I was watching the scene while being held by Ange.
“I don’t want to encounter a ghost ship again”
Even though I understood that they were monsters, I was really scared when they appeared as ghosts.
Ange agrees with me.
“Absolutely. I didn’t expect you to be so useless. It’s troublesome, so I don’t want to encounter it again.”
“Sorry”
I apologized pathetically and Livia rushed over to us.
―― She is with Luxion too.
“Leon-san! Ange! ―― W-Why is Ange carrying Leon-san in her arms?”
Livia is bewildered at the sight of us, but Luxion is as usual.
[It’s easy to imagine what happened.]
I glare at Luxion, but I’m still held in such a way by Ange.
Ange looks at the ghost ship moving away.
As she watches it crumble, engulfed in flames and burning, Ange murmurs regretfully.
“Wish I could have gone into more detail”
.
Part 6
My room.
I was rattled and shaking as I sat on the bed.
Luxion and Creare are observing me with great interest.
[He looks awfully frightened, doesn’t he.]
[Master is so cute!]
I stare at the artificial intelligences.
“Shut up, you traitorous artificial intelligences! How did you guys let a ghost ship get so close to Einhorn? Normally, you would have intercepted it on your own, wouldn’t you? Or not allow them to approach?”
It’s all strange when I think about it.
I thought the ghost ship had approached Einhorn.
However, the usual Luxion and Creare would have taken care of this in advance.
Speaking of strange, that’s how I and Ange got on board the ghost ship.
We can wait until everyone else arrives, or if necessary, I can let Luxion and Creare take care of it.
There was no need for me or Ange to push ourselves anywhere.
Ange also seemed to have noticed this and said she would ask him about it later.
I can only assume that these guys were up to something from the beginning.
[Did you notice? It’s a plan to get you and Angelica alone.]
“What’s the plan! You know I’m not good with those guys, right?!”
[That’s why I thought it would be effective.]
“I’m going to keep lecturing you today.”
When I try to lecture Luxion and Creare, they both ignore me and leave the room.
There was a passage was provided in the room for the spherical ball to pass through, through which it could easily enter and exit the room.
“O-Oi, wait”
When I tried to stop them, Creare turned around.
[If you are going to call someone, you can’t. I don’t know why, but they’re having a ghost story in the hall right now. If you go there, you’ll hear a lot of scary stories, which Master hates.]
“What are they doing on my ship ?!”
[I sent Livia-chan and Noel-chan there. Ange is the only one who seems to be coming to this room to continue the goodbye talk.]
“Come to think of it, we were in the middle of a breakup.”
In my mind, it was already after the breakup, but it was interrupted by the ghost ship ruckus.
If possible, I am tempted to leave the matter hanging, but that would be too insincere to Ange.
Everything was meant to be.
“――I’ve been dumped. It’s a development I deserve.”
I look down and let out a sigh, and Creare makes fun of me.
[You may be trying to look good, but it doesn’t matter what Master says after such a pathetic sight.]
“Oi, wait a minute. You guys aren’t monitoring me, are you?”
[――I think that Master should be more honest with yourself, and express your true feelings to Ange. Not the usual flimsy, off-the-cuff words, it’s what Master says that counts.]
For some reason, Creare’s attitude of talking about Ange in a deceptive manner raises the possibility that she was watching me.
“Oi! Did you watch me and laugh at me! You’ve got to be clear about that!”
[Master, tell Ange-chan in your own words that you love her]
“Don’t run off like you just told a good story!”
When even Creare runs away from the room, I am left alone.
Noticing that, I react hypersensitively when I hear any sound in the room.
I got scared again and started shaking.
“I mean, it’s cowardly to think there’s a real ghost out there. What am I supposed to do with that thing?”
If those guys come out in the middle of the night, I’m gonna cry.
Alone and trembling on my knees, there is a knock at the door.
“Leon, it’s me”
“Hyai!”
My voice muffled from the fear of the sudden knock on my door.
When I allowed Ange to enter the room, her hair was damp, probably after a shower.
Her hair, which is usually braided and tied up in a bun, is now easily done up.
Ange, who is dressed roughly, pulls in her cheeks when she sees me.
“Are you still scared? We already took them down.”
“Thinking about seeing them in my dreams today scares the crap out of me and I can’t sleep.”
“You should know that you are a hero. Don’t let them see you like that out there. That’s my last advice.”
Then Ange comes into the room and sits on my bed.
I looked up at the ceiling and saw a clear ―― No, around her eyes were red.
Did she cry in the shower?
Still, she laughs and tells me.
“We’re done. It’s been fun so far.”
I guess this will be the end of our relationship.
On the one hand, I’m the one who wants to part ways cleanly and without regret, like a man, and on the other hand, the other me, crying out pitifully, is appealing to me.
―― I don’t care if it’s clean or without regret, I don’t want to break up with Ange! Also, I’m lonely today and I want her to sleep with me! Like a man? I showed up a pathetic figure on a ghost ship, so what’s the point!
And so on, I’m going to speak about my true feelings.
To be honest, I, too, would like her to stay by my side today.
But the other me, the one who appeals to my masculinity, says.
――Don’t trouble her any more. Let’s honestly break up with Ange and leave the memories beautiful and walk down a new path for both of us.
Even if I say that, it’s just embarrassing to be trying to look good now.
Ange looks at me with concern as I ponder.
“What’s up? I’d like to hear something from you too.”
Ange herself was anxious to hear what I had to say.
That’s why I.
“――I honestly don’t understand much about the house or my position. I thought I was engaged to Ange personally.”
“What are you talking about?”
“What I wanted wasn’t the Duke Redgrave――It’s Ange.”
“Y-You”
When I tell her that I want Ange personally, she blushes and turns her head down.
“I am happy, but then I am just a daughter. I can’t use my family’s power, and it is useless for me to be around you. That said, if I stay close to you, relying on my family’s strength, you’ll be in trouble. “
“For me!”
It is a world that is inevitably strongly influenced by the existence of the family household.
Saying I only want her is not going to make it through.
But even knowing that, I――.
“――I need Ange. Noble society is too much for me, a nobleman from the countryside.”
“It is true that Livia and Noel are also not very familiar with it, but the queen will assist you. If you wanted to, Princess Erika would be your wife. That princess will surely――”
“No. Absolutely no! Only Erika is no.”
“Why is it so?”
Ange was terribly surprised to hear me say that Erika was the only one absolutely impossible.
If she sees us getting along so well on a regular basis, it’s no wonder she’s misunderstood.
However, only Erika is no.
In the first place, there is no such thing as marrying your niece from a previous life.
I want her to be happy, but not me to make her happy.
I tell Ange about my determination.
“I’m willing to fight with the Redgrave family for Ange.”
“What are you talking about, just for me?”
“If it doesn’t work, I steal you away”
“――You idiot”
When I show forcefulness, Ange shakes her head, though she looks happy.
Tears spilled from Ange’s eyes.
“I’m glad you feel that way, but it will keep you from a peaceful life. I want you to be happy.”
What do I really need for my happiness?
The answer is out.
“Then for my happiness, I need Ange.”
“――Leon?”
I hug Ange on the bed.
Ange put her hands behind my back, and then I guess she realized.
“Are you trembling? By any chance――”
“Sorry, I’m still scared”
When she realized that the fear of the ghost ship had not left me, Ange laughed out loud.
“You’re a really sloppy guy. At least at a time like this, you should make up your mind”
“Because I’m scared! Please stay with me.”
Betrayed by Luxion and the others, I ask Ange to stay by my side.
Then Ange whispers in my ear.
“So you were afraid and wanted me to spend the night with you so you could seduce me?”
“Y-You’re wrong.”
“I won’t get angry, so be honest. Come on, quickly.”
She blew her breath in my ear, making me ticklish.
“Just a little”
“――I knew it”
Ange sounds amazed when she finds out the truth, but she rubs my back.
“Throwing you away like this would be a blemish on your hero’s name.”
“I can follow you”
“I don’t like that. You are ―― a hero for me too.”
I feel like I am closer to Ange than ever before because of this incident.
The uptight part was gone and we felt comfortable with each other.
Ange presses her forehead against my chest.
“Leon, I’m cutting myself off from my parents’ house”
“Ange?”
I was surprised at the sudden statement.
Since family is such a big part of the world, it’s a very big deal to cut ties with it.
From now on, Ange cannot return to the Redgrave family.
Not only that, but she would lose her position as a daughter of the Duke.
“Eventually, if I hadn’t been able to keep you connected, my parents would have given up on me. So you have nothing to worry about.”
“――But”
“It’s the path I chose. You don’t need to worry about it. If I cut ties with my family, Duke Redgrave will become your enemies. Are you prepared to bear that burden?”
After thinking for a few seconds and nodding, Ange looks up and gives me a serious look.
“You’re going to have a lot of trouble. Most of the lords and nobles are the enemy. Some of them will even flatter you. If you want to rebuild the kingdom, you will be busy.”
“If it can be done peacefully”
“――Got it. I will support you. Then I’ll stay with you for the night. I know you’ll be too scared to sleep.”
I blushed as Ange gave me a mischievous smile.
“I-It’s not like tha”
“Then I will return to my room?”
“I lied!”
I apologize to Ange for that, and I asked her to sleep with me for the night.