Anoseka Volume 2 Chapter 6

This is MTL. So, I cannot guarantee that the translation 100% contextually accurate or appropriate.

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Chapter 6 "Leon's Determination"

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Part 1

It was the night of the third day of the school festival.

The students were still having fun outside, but I went back to the boys' dormitory and lay on the bed in my uniform.

Luxion is floating nearby, but his red lens is shining because the room is dark without any lights on.

Perhaps dissatisfied with today's events, Luxion came close to my face.

[Are you sure you want to keep it that way?]

"About what?"

[You should understand without being told. I'm asking if it's okay to leave Marie's marriage as it is.]

Not wanting to look at Luxion, I rolled over and turned my back to him.

"As I said before. There are various reasons, like game events."

"Master is really a wuss."

"An?"

I turn around only my face, and Luxion asks me for orders.

[If you give me an order, I will eliminate Count Offley's family immediately. And all those behind them. It's easy to get rid of them.]

This AI is really dangerous.

—— I am ashamed of myself for even thinking of taking up his suggestion.

Even if one problem is solved, it is meaningless if many new problems arise afterwards.

I reject Luxion's suggestion.

"It would be meaningless if the world of otome games were destroyed as a result."

[I am honestly not interested in game scenarios. To begin with, I do not have any consideration for game-like scenarios.]

Marie seems to have many characteristics of old humans, and is Luxion's favorite.

It seems like he thinks it's okay to do something a little reckless in order to help Marie.

It's a great solution if you don't think about the consequences, but it's not that simple.

"—— The last boss is a troublesome one. Since even you can't beat it, we're going to have to ask Olivia-san and the others to do something about it. Would you understand if I told you that I don't want to get involved in the Offley family and Marie's problems for that reason?"

Marie and I don't want the country to be destroyed and many people to lose their lives because we can't defeat the last boss.

[I highly question whether there are enemies that even I cannot defeat, but then, may I abandon the inhabitants of this continent?]

"No. Or rather, you're always so extreme."

Luxion shows his attachment to Marie, but he is very cold toward the descendants of new humans who can use magic —— the people of this world.

Rather, he is a dangerous AI who wishes he could destroy them.

[So, Master will not regret if Marie gets married in this way?]

"Shut up already."

When I gave the order, Luxion didn't say anything to me.

It's just that his red lens is looking at me.

He looks at me as if he is accusing me.

In the middle of it, I was recalling the scene of my little sister's image on Marie's back.

——I have been curious about it for a while.

But there is no conclusive evidence.

Marie and I can't remember our names from our previous lives.

Even though I have memories of that otome game and my previous life —— I just can't remember the name.

It feels as if there is something intentional about it.

Still, it would seem unnatural if there were several things in common.

The more I think about it, the more Marie resembles my little sister from my previous life.

Occasionally, I felt the irritating feelings I had for my little sister and the nostalgia——a sense of comfort.

——I wonder if Marie felt like that too?

So what should I do? I asked myself over and over again.

What do I want to do?

I raise my upper body and ask Luxion.

"Luxion, I'm sorry, but I'm rejecting your idea."

[—— It's a shame.]

Luxion responded in a really disappointed electronic voice, so I gave him a mean look.

"But I don't want to give Marie's marriage a pass either."

[Oya, what then?]

"I'm going to stop Marie from getting married. I don't like that guy getting married before me in the first place."

When Luxion heard why I wanted to help Marie, he shook his single eye from side to side.

[It's a wonderfully twisted reason, just like Master. Even I, an AI, would question Master's humanity.]

"Isn't that what you always say? I don't hate myself like this.'"

I got out of bed and decided to take action immediately.

Luxion flies to my right shoulder and asks me about my future plans.

[So, what do you plan to do now, Master?]

"It may look like this, but I'm a man who remove obstacles in the way of my objective. For now, I'm going to submit to the royal court proof of the Offley family's connection to the sky pirates and get them to act on it."

[Do you have any proof?]

"There's you, right?"

Naturally, I was planning to rely on Luxion.

Luxion replies to my attitude with a given-up tone of voice.

[In the end, you are relying on me. This is better than the situation you just described, where you are so distressed that you can't make a decision. More importantly, can you manage to get things done without ruining the game scenario?]

I give Luxion a stunned look.

"Of course it's impossible."

[And you still want to help Marie?]

"If it broke down, you and I can follow up on it."

[That's called haphazard, isn't it? A very Master-like solution indeed.]

"Just let's go. For now, get some evidence ready."

[Please leave it to me. However —— I don't think the royal palace will move.]

"You're talking too much."

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Part 2

Several days have passed since Luxion delivered the items of evidence he collected to the royal palace.

Marie was steadily preparing to leave the school, but my side was not making any slow progress.

I'm currently lying face down on my study desk in my room.

"This country is truly the worst. I went to all the trouble of gathering evidence and submitting it, and they just squashed it and pretended it never happened."

Judging from the results, the evidence I submitted was crushed by someone.

As far as Luxion investigated, there has been no significant movement in the royal palace.

Rather, who gathered the evidence related to the Offley family? Apparently, the court nobles gathered for a meeting on such a topic.

——I submitted evidence anonymously, and apparently it was the right thing to do.

[I was the one who gathered the evidence and submitted it to the royal palace.]

"Since I was the one who gave the order, I'll take the credit for it."

"And if I fail, the responsibility falls on me —— I am very happy to have a great Master."

"I'm also happy to have an artificial intelligence that is so sarcastic and ironic."

As I talk like an idiot with Luxion, I raise my upper body and let out a small sigh to change my mind.

In the first place, this degree was predictable.

"Did all the sky pirates we caught before commit suicide in jail?"

[Yes. That is how it was handled. I have determined that there was some manipulation by someone.]

"The Offley family has had a bigger influence than I thought."

Never did I expect the middle boss, the one who makes the middle of the game so exciting, to leave the game so easily.

However, the reaction of the royal palace was more than expected.

I never thought that they would start investigating the person who submitted the evidence.

Since Luxion left no trace, though, it will never get back to me.

——I didn't expect it to be this corrupt.

[And it was just as Master had predicted.]

"Did you find out that much in a few days?"

Luxion looked heartlessly proud as I opened my eyes in surprise.

[You shouldn't be surprised at this level. It's the Offley family, but they are backed by someone with power in the royal court.]

So there are influential person behind the Offley family.

I think about it for a while and then give my answer.

"If I were to think in terms of that otome game, since it's a wicked noble —— is it the Redgrave family?"

For a moment, I thought of Angelica's smiling face at the school festival.

She seemed decent for a villainess, but not necessarily the same all the way to her parents' house.

Even though all I did was answer the question, I can't help but be bothered by the feeling.

However, Luxion fortunately denies my answer.

[It is incorrect. The correct answer is the Marquis Frampton. He has influence within the royal court. He brought in the nobles of the court to cover up the misdeeds of the Offley family.]

"Marquis Frampton?"

[If you know anything, I'd like you to provide me with the information.]

"——No. How did it go?"

I open my notebook with the strategy information I wrote down as soon as I was reincarnated.

My notebook from more than ten years ago is in tatters, but it's an important strategy book for me.

However, the name of the Marquis Frampton does not appear.

"I feel like I've heard it before, but I don't remember it. Aren't they mob nobles?"

[Even though he is a mob, he is a Marquis —— a lineage that is linked to the royal family in this country. He has the right of succession, and he is an important person.]

Although he has the right to inherit the throne, it is unlikely that he will become king.

He would only have the right of succession.

Although he was a mob like me, he was realistically a very influential person.

"That's a problem. If a guy like that is protecting the Offley family, even if the evidence is presented, it will be covered up. It may be impossible to remove obstacles in the way of my objective."

I let out a deep sigh, as the possibility of taking strong measures has increased.

What Luxion suggested to me was quite outlandish.

[In that case, how about visiting Deirdre Fou Roseblade, a student at the school?]

"Roseblade?"

[She is a young Countess who is in charge of the third year students. The Roseblade family have a hostile relationship with the Offley family. If you visit them with evidence, they may be able to help you.]

"I don't think they'll help me, though."

[While I was gathering information, the court nobles were wary of the Roseblade family. They were impatient, wondering if it was the same family that had collected the evidence. It seems that they are very troublesome to them.]

I pick up the evidence that Luxion has prepared.

"If we fail, you and I will have no choice but to resort to brute force."

To me, who mocks myself, Luxion says.

[From my point of view, that would be the best.]

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Part 3

When I talked to Roseblade-senpai, no, Deirdre-senpai, about the Offley family, for some reason he brought me to the girls' dormitory.

The room that Deirdre-senpai uses is so luxurious that it's hard to believe it's a student dormitory.

There are many rooms and the furnishings are all luxurious.

It is so luxurious that you would believe it if you were told it was a suite in a luxury hotel.

But Deirdre-senpai doesn't have any demi-human slaves called exclusive servants with her.

The people who take care of her personal needs are the girls who are her cronies.

Many of them were daughters of knight families who were the foster daughter of Count Roseblade's family.

Deirdre-senpai, who has vertical blonde hair, is smiling while checking the evidence I handed over.

Would it work if I told her that she has a wicked smile, like she is plotting something?

It made me realize how terrifying a beautiful woman's aggressive smile can be.

"I can't take everything at face value, but I do remember some of it. How did you manage to gather all this evidence."

"Thank you for that."

"——Bartfalt-dono is good at this mean as well. I was a little surprised."

This mean, is probably secret move.

Gathering information and revealing the enemy's weaknesses to opposing forces —— I'm not good at it though.

However, I have a cheat item called Luxion.

"I just tried my best. By nature, I'm not very good at it."

"It's too modest to say that you're not good at something after you've accomplished this much —— So, to me. No, what do you want from the Roseblade family?"

Deirdre-senpai's eyes were sharp as she looked at me.

I say, shrugging my shoulders.

"An acquaintance of mine is going to marry the heir of the Offley family. It's a political marriage that ignores her wishes."

"Ara, that's too sad. I wonder if you were close to that girl?"

Although she said he felt sorry for her, she didn't seem to have any deep sympathy.

I guess she has her own thoughts as a girl, but as a noble, she is not surprised because it is a matter of course.

"We're friends. It's just——I don't like it and I want to destroy the wedding. I guess the problem is the troops. Not enough, and even the aftermath is a hassle."

For that purpose, I would like the help of the Roseblade family.

After hearing my wish, the crony girls around me had various reactions.

Some of the girls were so surprised that they were speechless, while others glared at me as I tried to get them involved.

There were some girls who had their cheeks twitching dumbfounded, but not Deirdre-senpai.

"Good grief —— I guess it's true that you are an adventurer who has conquered a dungeon. I don't think you have any common sense."

She's a rude person. I'm a man of common sense —— If I said that, it would complicate the conversation, so I stayed silent.

Deirdre-senpai gave me a big smile——No, what was it?

Her cheeks were red and she was excited.

"Very good! Because you don't like the reason for justice? That's really ridiculous. ——But that is what makes you a dungeon conqueror. As a woman of the Roseblade family, you are very desirable."

When their own master responded favorably, the girls in the crony group had an "A~ah, I knew it" look on their faces.

Deirdre-senpai points a closed fan at me.

"I'll be happy to help you at my parent's house. So, what are you going to do, Bartfalt-dono? You are a dungeon conqueror, you can't just stand back and watch, can you?"

I was surprised that the conversation had progressed further than I expected, and a strange smile welled up inside me.

"Of course. ——The wedding venue is on Count Offley's floating island, you know. I'll be the first one to get in on the day."

It seems my answer was to Deirdre-senpai's liking.

"That's a good answer that I like."

While Deirdre-senpai was getting the girls around her ready to write the letter, she asked me about another matter.

"Still, I envy the girl who can be so thought of so much. If I had known Bartfalt-dono earlier, the Roseblade family would have taken you in seriously."

Taking in —— I guess it means to make a connection.

In this case, I wanted to say that I wanted to marry the person involved.

Then I remembered one thing.

I'm not the only one who is having trouble getting married.

It's the same with my big brother —— Nix.

Actually, I want to sell myself and get the hell out of this marriage hunting life, but I want to return the favor to Nix, who has been taking care of me.

Besides, I wanted to return the favor, or rather, thank you, since I was going to be causing trouble in the future.

"If it is about marital relations, then by all means, please take care of our big brother."

"If I recall correctly, Bartfalt-dono's big brother was enrolled in the regular class"

Did she even look into Nix?

If you were paying that much attention to me, I wish you had called me at the tea party.

I'll end this talk before I start complaining.

"He is now in his third year. He hasn't decided on a marriage yet, and is getting impatient."

"That's so —— may I ask your opinion of your big brother?"

"There is some family favoritism involved, but he is a man of integrity. So, if you find someone who is a match, please do me a favor."

When I asked in a light-hearted manner, Deirdre-senpai opened her fan and covered her mouth.

She mumbles something as it is and then replies to me.

"—— Fair enough. When everything is safely settled, leave your big brother's marriage proposal to the Roseblade family. I won't do anything bad."

"That's good, then —— Well, I'd better get ready."

As I get up from my seat, Deirdre-senpai smiles and gives me a warning.

"You are making the Roseblade family take it seriously, and I expect you to work that much."

I feel like I was told, in so many words, "You're the one who brought this up."

This probably means that she will not allow anyone to run away or stand by.

Since my back face her, I only looked back with my upper body.

"Please look forward to it."

It would be hard to rely on me alone and work to meet her expectations.

But with Luxion, it's a different story.

——It's so hard to keep an eye on things so that I don't overdo it.