Novel Full Volume 9, Chapter 2 “Irregular”
Volume 9, Chapter 2 “Irregular”
Part 1
The night after the entrance ceremony.
There are many things I can’t talk about at school, so I brought Luxion and Marie to a popular pub. The restaurant had private rooms with dividers, but the place was crowded with customers and was noisy.
The restaurant is located in a narrow alley away from the main street, so it is not frequented by the students of the school.
The food brought by the waitress is laid out on a round table.
“Sorry to keep you waiting! You ordered a lot of food. Can you two finish it?”
The food on the table looked delicious, but I think I’d be satisfied with a plate of any of them.
Marie, who ordered these, has sparkling eyes.
“I’m okay with this. Oh, I want some takeout as a souvenir, so I’ll order some later.”
“U-Understood.”
In addition to the amount of food that the two of us couldn’t finish, the waitress was a little taken aback by Marie’s idea of a souvenir.
When the waitress left, Marie said, “Itadakimasu!” and stabbed her knife and fork into the food and started to eat a big slice of meat.
Dumbfounded by the sight, I arranged the photos Luxion had prepared in the gaps between the plates.
“Before eating, let’s get on with the talk. Luxion and Creare have picked out the guys who will be important in the future and the ones who are suspicious.”
[If it weren’t for the sabotage, I could have provided more detailed documentation.]
An evil armor has entered the academy.
As a result, Luxion’s and Creare’s investigative capabilities had been greatly reduced.
Still, we can rely on them to provide more detailed data than we can find out.
But this is the third work. We don’t have any proper knowledge about the third game of that otome game. Even Marie hadn’t cleared the third game of that otome game.
Marie, who was eating and holding a photo in her hand, had actually played the game up to the middle stage. She hadn’t seen any of the setting materials, and had only checked the strategy information on the Internet once for the last part of the game. In other words, she didn’t have any detailed information about the game after the middle stage.
I’ve only played the first work, so naturally I have zero prior knowledge of it.
“These five are the targets of capture.”
“One of them became a girl, though.”
Aaron, I mean Aaron-chan, His Highness Jake, and Oscar――The other two are also capture targets. I checked them out after asking Marie about their characteristics, so I’m pretty sure there’s no mistake.
Marie took a bite of bread and picked up a picture.
“I’m pretty sure this girl is the protagonist.”
It was Luxion, floating on the round table, who responded to Marie’s assertion.
[I identified and investigated that one from Marie’s testimony. It’s a foreign student from the Holy Magic Empire of Voldenowa.]
When she heard the name of the empire, Marie bit her fork and moved the handle up and down with her mouth.
“There is no doubt about it. But she really did study abroad, didn’t she.”
“Oi, that’s immodest.”
“Why do you care about manners when we’re the only ones here? Aniki is a real stickler for details, aren’t you.”
I only warned her because she was being a little rude, but this is what she said.
A little sister is truly a nasty existence.
Marie takes the fork away from her mouth and continues speaking.
“Since things are getting so messy over here, I was wondering if she might not want to come study abroad.”
A war with the Principality, and a coup d’etat in the Republic.
It must have been a courageous decision to come to the kingdom to study.
Marie hands me a photo of the protagonist.
The protagonist, a new student, is a petite girl with reddish brown hair in a ponytail. There’s no doubt that she’s slender, but she looks slightly taller than Marie in front of me ―― Her style is also better than Marie’s.
“You lost to a first-year in styl ―― Buh!”
I tried to laugh, but Marie splashed me with a small amount of water from the glass.
“Sorry about that!”
Thinking that she is unable to take a joke, Luxion speaks up.
[Her name is [Mia]. She is an international student and has been placed in the advanced class. However, there are some differences from the information.]
“What? If she’s in the advanced class, it’s like the scenario.”
[She has what is called a guardian knight by her side.]
When Marie heard it, she tilted her head.
“What is a guardian knight?”
[It is said that in the Empire’s system, women of high rank and status are given a personal knight in order to protect them. Such a knight is called a guardian knight.]
“Eh? What’s that, I don’t know”
While Marie is puzzled by the information she doesn’t know, I pick up a photo.
The male student who had come from the empire to study abroad with the protagonist was that man who had been watching us from a distance during the day today.
He was a beautiful man with red eyes, brown skin, and long silver hair that he tied up at the back of his neck.
He was tall and well-built, so I knew he had been working out a lot.
But I never imagined that he was a knight of the Empire.
Marie notices the photo I’m holding.
“Who is that? Show it to me too”
Marie, who forcefully takes the photo from me, her eyes sparkle when she sees the irregular guardian knight.
“Isn’t he so handsome!”
As usual, Marie has a weakness for men with good looks, and I can’t help but laugh in amazement.
“That’s the guardian knight.”
He’s a knight who protects women, but I saw him during the day.
Marie was looking at the picture of the guardian knight carefree, perhaps not noticing it.
“What’s his name?”
[He’s [Finn Leta Herring]. The middle name letter seems to indicate a knight in the empire. Other than that, I couldn’t get any detailed information, he seems to be very wary of us.]
I had Luxion investigate, but he could hardly get any decent information. No matter how much his investigation skills have diminished, the fact that even Luxion can’t look into it is troubling.
“I’m also curious about the way he was looking at us during the day.”
When I bring up the topic of the daytime, Marie shows interest.
“He was there? Why didn’t you just tell me.”
“―― You, aren’t you forgetting the purpose we’re here for? That guy who doesn’t appear in the third work is on the protagonist’s side, and he’s wary of us.”
I warned Marie, who is so buoyed by his beautiful face that she has little sense of danger.
“I’m definitely interested, but~.”
A knight who should not exist ―― As I pondered whether he was a reincarnated person like us or an unrelated knight, I heard a commotion outside the store.
“This is bad! The people outside is!”
When the drunk went out from the restaurant to see what was going on, he came right back in and his complexion had changed.
I got curious and decided to check it out.
“I’ll check it out a bit. Luxion, come.”
[Yes, Master]
.
Part 2
When I left the store, I saw a crowd of people a few dozen meters away.
There are many buildings around the popular tavern in a complicated place.
The road was narrow, and people were gathering from all around because of the commotion that had occurred in such a place.
“It’s a terrible thing”
“They look very well dressed”
“A nobleman. Looks like he killed with his valet.”
I apologized to the onlookers and went to see the scene, where I found a man who appeared to be a nobleman lying on the ground.
His valet, who also served as his bodyguard, was lying nearby, and there were few signs of a struggle.
I quickly put my hand over my mouth, but sadly, it seems I’m used to seeing dead bodies.
My appetite was gone, but I had no nausea.
It seems that humans are creatures that can get used to unpleasant things.
As I looked at the fallen nobleman, a hand was suddenly placed on my shoulder.
“What a coincidence, kid “
I was approached by a suspicious-looking man in a hooded robe, but I was able to quickly identify who he was.
“Why are you here?”
I gave him a dubious look, and Roland, lifting his hood a little, grinned at me.
“It doesn’t matter where I am or what I’m doing, right?”
“At most, it was a woman, right.”
“Only sweet moments with a woman can heal me. Well, that’s all right, just come along for a while.”
I was wary of Roland’s invitation, but since he looked rather serious, I decided to just listen to what he had to say. I walked into a narrow alley as he asked me to.
In a deserted place, Roland tells me the identity of the nobleman who was killed.
“That man is an official with a considerable rank in the royal palace.”
From his appearance, he didn’t look like a low-ranking official, but he had some sort of middle management position. Roland would give me the details of the official.
“He was from a knight family before, and they made him do odd jobs, but after the fuss you caused, his bosses disappeared and he rose through the ranks.”
During the war with the Principality, there were many families that fled before the enemy and were destroyed. Many of the lower noble families ―― knight families were promoted because of this.
“It’s not my fault, they reap what they sow.”
I try to make fun of him, but Roland ignores it and goes on with his story.
“―― This makes the fifth case of a nobleman who has been promoted.”
“Fifth? This happens multiple times?”
“This is the fifth case of an incident aimed at promoted officials. They’re all recent events.”
“Is it a serial murder? The killer cannot be caught, or is this country safe?”
“I wonder. I think Milene knows more than I do.”
“Are you really the king?”
“You are still too naive to think that the king controls everything. Rather than that, it’s quite suspicious of you to have a secret meeting with the saint outside, isn’t it. I think your fiancées will be very sad to hear that?”
He knew I was at the store with Marie.
I’m annoyed because he’s uselessly competent.
“Unlike you, I’ve done nothing wrong.”
“It is up to them and the world to judge. Oops, I have some business to attend to, so I’ll excuse myself now. Also, kid, don’t ever get involved with Erika. Don’t you dare. If you come near her, I’ll execute you.”
I watched Roland leave after giving me a warning, and I called out to Luxion, who was hiding.
“Who is Erika?”
[Erika Rafa Horfalt, the villainous princess according to Marie. She is a new student who, like Julius, has Milene as her mother.]
Before I could see the pictures in the store, I had to go outside because of the commotion.
“The villainess of the third work. Let’s talk about that later. The problem is the case, right? Can you investigate it outside the academy without any problems?”
When I turned around, the crime scene was still crowded with people.
[The evil armor’s sabotage is all over the royal capital. They haven’t pinpointed our location, so they must be jamming a wide area. It’s troublesome.]
Apparently, the enemy hadn’t identified us yet.
But this leaves us with no idea where the enemy is hiding, either.
The opponent is also too cheat, like being able to sabotage the entire royal capital.
“Are? Are you okay? It’s strange how you’re the only one whose link doesn’t break when it’s being blocked?”
Luxion’s sphere-like body is a sub-unit of his main body, the spaceship.
So it’s not surprising that the link is broken.
[In order to support Master, I have secured the link with the highest priority. I have a number of high-performance specialized transmitters.]
“Ah, that’s so. Why don’t you do the same for the others?”
[I can’t do it, so I’m having trouble?]
He said something like, ‘What a stupid thing to say’ but I’m not quite convinced.
“――Back to the topic, do you think there’s a connection between evil armor and this incident?”
I ask Luxion casually, and get an unpleasant answer.
[I’m detecting what appears to be evil armor. I can’t confirm that this is the same person who is sabotaging us, but I do believe that evil armor is involved.]
“This sucks”
A rather dangerous person has entered this royal capital.
Knowing that it’s still dangerous both inside and outside the academy, I can’t move carelessly.
As I pondered, a man in plain clothes came into view in the crowd.
When the man noticed my presence, he too turned his face away and left the scene.
“What’s a guardian knight doing in a place like this?”
I became more cautious about the guardian knight who had escaped from the academy and come all the way to this place.
I looked at Luxion and he gave a small nod, knowing how I felt.
[I’ll increase the number of autonomous drones we have tracking him.]
“I’m counting on you. Mark him thoroughly.”
.
Part 3
An old building in the royal capital.
The man descending the stairs leading to the basement was a gentleman-like man with a beard called [Gabino], dispatched from the Holy Kingdom of Rachel.
He was acting proudly with his chest out, but he was worried about the scar on the right side of his forehead.
His hair was hanging down to hide it, but the scar was still visible.
Holding his favorite pocket watch in his left hand, he would occasionally open the lid without meaning to and check the time.
Such Gabino was previously dispatched to the Republic of Arzel to cooperate with the coup side.
The plot of the Holy Kingdom of Rachel was thwarted by Leon, which is why Gabino was sent to the Kingdom of Horfalt.
As he appeared in the dimly lit basement hall, he greeted them reverently.
“Ladies, I’m sorry to keep you waiting.”
The women in the basement were in a slightly better mood as the mature but beautiful Gabino smiled at them.
“You’re right on time, Gabino-dono. But I still wish you’d come a little earlier”
“I apologize for that.”
In the hall where they are, there is a flag on the wall indicating a forest of ladies.
The Forest of Ladies is an organization formed by noblewomen in the kingdom at a time when there was a strong tendency to respect women.
The women in their sagging dresses, worn over and over again, still do not try to maintain the attitude of being nobility.
They used to have beautiful slaves, but now they were taking care of their own children and women of lower status who belonged to the same organization.
There are ranks in the forest of ladies, and the lowest is a female noblewoman who has a country baron as her husband.
The women standing by the wall are currently taking care of the cadres of the Forest of Ladies.
Among them was the figure of [Zora].
After being abandoned by Leon’s father [Barkas] during the war with the Principality, she lost her place in the nobility and was picked up by the Forest of Ladies.
However, she is treated like a servant, and the clothes she wears are not dresses, but the plain clothes of commoners.
Gabino shows up to meet the forest of ladies who live underground, and has his men bring them souvenirs.
A number of crates were brought in, and in them were liquor, sweets, beautiful dresses, and other items for the women.
“This is a gift for everyone.”
“Ara, you’re so thoughtful!”
The executive women jumped to their feet and competed for them.
Watching them, Gabino talked.
“By the way, ladies ―― Do you think you’ll ever be reinstated?”
When they heard of the reinstatement, the executives of the forest of ladies raised their heads.
Their expressions are tainted with hatred for the kingdom that abandoned them, and they look quite miserable, but Gabino does not lose his smile.
The representative of the forest of ladies was looking at the dress in her hands to make sure it would suit her.
As it is, she talks to Gabino.
“It’s difficult. We’ve already buried a number of people, but there’s no sign of the kingdom shaking. His Majesty is still the same, and the foreign vixen who have taken advantage of him is doing whatever she wants.”
The vixen refers to Milene, who is practically a pillar of the Kingdom of Horfalt.
It is also a troublesome opponent for Gabino.
After all, Gabino’s homeland, the Holy Kingdom of Rachael, has a long-standing relationship with Milene’s homeland, the United Kingdom of Leparto.
The Kingdom of Horfalt and the United Kingdom of Leparto have a strong alliance because Milene, the link between them, is excellent.
That’s why the forest of ladies has been told that Milene is the one who has undermined the status of women.
“She’s a nuisance. In addition, she’s cajoled the Marquis Bartofalt into being her pawn. If it weren’t for him, you wouldn’t have to live like this.”
As Gabino said this, one of the women standing by the wall had a look of hatred on her face.
“Oya, Zora-san, what’s wrong?”
“N-No, nothing”
When Gabino spoke to her, Zora turned her head away.
The women around her, however, give Zora a sharp look.
“It was your house that grew up with that fiend knight.”
“I wish you’d raised him more decently.”
“You really are a useless woman “
They were taking out their frustration at being in this situation on Zora. To them, Zora was nothing more than a stress reliever.
Gabino speaks gently to Zora.
“Let’s calm down, ladies. If we overthrow the Queen and the Marquis, you will soon be able to regain your old lives again. For that, the Holy Kingdom of Rachel will give you its full support.”
The representative smiled at Gabino’s words.
“It’s really wonderful that Rachel is such a gentleman. In contrast, how pathetic are the men of the kingdom today. Truly deplorable.”
Gabino took the representative’s hand and smiled. The smile made the representative blush.
“A chance will eventually come. And when it does, please lend me your help.”
“Y-Yes. But are you sure it is okay?”
When the representative shows her anxiety about the coming time, Gabino encourages her strongly to dispel it.
“I’m sure we’ll succeed. In addition, we have prepared a powerful trump card as well. We won’t be defeated, even if it’s against that fiend knight.”
When they heard that a powerful trump card could defeat Leon, the ladies of the forest became fidgety and restless from excitement.
Seeing that, Gabino muttered in his mind.
(I’ll have you work for us, Rachel, as best you can. Now that we’ve brought out the evil knights, we need them to do some serious damage to the kingdom.)
.
Part 4
When Gabino leaves, the executives take a harsh attitude toward Zora.
“Zora, you’re going to pay for what your stepson has done.”
“O-Of course!”
The reason why Zora has to bow down and endure the intimidating women is because if she is kicked out of here, she will have nowhere to go.
Zora was once a noblewoman, but now she was just a commoner. With no income and no access to the luxuries she once had, her exclusive slave quickly ran away.
Zora, not knowing how to live, had to rely on the forest of ladies.
The representative grabbed Zora by the hair and made her look up.
“I hope your children are doing their part properly right?”
“Leave it to me. Lutoart has successfully infiltrated the school. [Melse] has also made contact with the target without any problems.”
“I hope so”
When Zora was released, she sat there and remembered the face of the hated Leon.
(Why am I in this kind of trouble? This is all the fault of that damn kid. It’s because he did something unnecessary)
Originally, Leon was a hero who saved the kingdom, but it didn’t matter to Zora and his friends. They truly believe that the reason they have fallen is because of Leon, who has achieved great success.
(But this life is almost over. In a little while, life will return to the way it was. And when that happens, I’ll execute Barkas and his family who abandoned me.)
Zora endures this difficult life with a vengeance against the Bartofalt family.
.
Part 5
Midnight.
Roland came to a bar with a nice atmosphere and was enjoying a drink with a young woman.
“That’s right ~. My wife is so noisy that I don’t feel at ease.”
Roland tries to hold the woman’s hand as she complains about Milene.
However, the woman quickly avoided his hand.
“Leon-san, you’ve been through a lot ~”
Leon ―― Roland uses Leon’s name as a pseudonym and enjoys spending time with women.
“You’re so cold today too, Melse. I’m sad.”
“I-Is that so? B-But, after all, a girl must be more firm.” (Note: The word “firm” means that a woman’s attitude toward life and her relationships with the opposite sex are healthy and that she does not have sexual relations with men easily)
Roland looks sad at being avoided by a woman ―― Melse hurriedly attempts to mend the situation.
A fat man with gray hair and a small beard approached them.
The man taking off his hat looked awkward.
“Ro ―― Leon-san, it’s time for you to go return for the day.”
When the man said that to him, Roland let out a sigh and then left his seat.
“The good times pass quickly, don’t they? Melse, I had a great time today. When will I see you again?”
Melse smiles from relief that she is finally free, and tells him when he can see her next.
“I’ll have an open schedule in a week.”
“I’ll see you in a week then. Oops, I think I’ll go to the bathroom first.”
When Roland left the scene, Melse let out a big sigh.
She then glared at the man who had approached her.
“Hey, you’re a little late to call out.”
“E-Even if you say so, if I call out to him too soon, he’ll get suspicious.”
“You’re going against me? You’re not forgetting that we have your weakness, are you? If you don’t cooperate, I’ll expose your secret and end your life.”
“Please don’t let that happen!”
It seemed that Melse had the man’s weakness and he could not resist her.
Melse distanced herself from the man and picked up a drink from the table and drank it down.
Then she complains until Roland returns.
“It’s really astonishing. Does he really think a disguise like that is going to fool me? And his alias is Leon. That’s the worst.”
When the man is asked for his consent, he responds in a frightened manner, concerned about the eyes around him.
“Yes, you’re right. Just please lower your voice a bit.”
“I got it.”
As Melse closes her mouth, Roland returns from the bathroom.
In a good mood, she hugged Melse and pressed her for a kiss.
“This is goodbye for today, Melse. Give me one last kiss――”
Melse responded with the palm of her hand to Roland’s lips.
“Maybe another time, Leon-san”
” ―― So heartless. I’ll see you next time.”
After being released from Roland, Melse made a smile and walked out of the store.
After out, Roland complains to the man.
“Don’t you think she could be a little more sociable?”
The man checked to make sure there were no eyes around him before answering Roland. He was an old acquaintance and Roland’s personal doctor at the royal palace.
He is also a friend of Roland’s from his school days and has a very close relationship with him.
His name is [Fred].
“Your Majesty, you’re playing too much.”
“This much is fine, right. Now, Fred, I’m going to play some more, and you’re going to join me. There’s actually a girl I’ve been eyeing. I’m almost there, and I’m hoping to get a nice response.”
“Playing with women again? You never learn, do you.”
Roland took Fred to yet another store.