Prologue

Prologue

 

RELATIONSHIPS ARE FUNNY THINGS. They’re difficult to cultivate when you want them, and they fall apart so easily. Then there are the relationships that you can’t escape, even if you want to.

My name is Leon Fou Bartfort, and I was standing on the Einhorn’s deck, holding a scrubbing brush under the blinding sun with my sleeves and pant legs rolled up.

As you might have guessed from the vessel’s name, the Einhorn’s most eye-catching feature was the horn protruding from its bow. The ship was painted wine-red, accented with gold and silver plating, and it measured about two hundred meters long. Despite its aristocratic exterior, it had been built by my partner, Luxion. As such, the inside couldn’t have been more different from most ships in this world.

I was heading to the Alzer Republic with plans to study abroad. Let’s just call it a stroke of bad luck. I was a mere student, but I’d somehow managed to land the title of earl, and that meant I had to travel in style. Hence the ship.

“Hey, you better listen up, you morons!” I yelled from the deck.

A group of people stood in front of me, including the wicked witch herself, Marie Fou Lafan. Marie looked dainty, but she was surprisingly resilient. The wind blew through her golden hair, and she reached up to pin it back with her hand.

In my previous life, she’d been my little sister, and until recently, the two of us had been bitter foes. I’d never dreamed we’d known each other before we reincarnated here. It didn’t seem fair that I’d been reborn in a new world only to somehow still end up stuck with this pest.

“This is against my will,” I complained. “Entirely against my will! But since I have no choice, I’ll be looking after you all. Having said that, don’t expect to get fed if you can’t work for yourselves!”

Julius Rapha Holfort and his friends glowered at me, cleaning utensils in hand. Still, he didn’t have much right to whine. After the war against House Fanoss, Julius was a prince in name only.

“It’s not as though we’re pleased with this situation either,” Julius complained, the wind whipping through his navy-blue hair.

He looked away, displeasure written all over his face. He pissed me off. Okay, so it wasn’t just him. They all pissed me off.

He and the other guys on my ship were all love interests from the stupid otome game I’d somehow ended up living in, and none of them seemed much happier about that than I was.

The first to speak up was Jilk Fia Marmoria, Julius’s foster brother, his green hair pulled back in a ponytail. “His Highness is right. I have no desire to be ‘looked after,’ and least of all by you. I have only joined you because Her Majesty ordered me to do so.”

Jilk was a scheming and dastardly worm, and I was in no mood to put up with him.

“And if Her Majesty hadn’t ordered me to look after you,” I said, “then you’d all be fish food by now. Be grateful, you useless louts.”

My words fell on deaf ears.

As I did my best to put them in their place, Greg Fou Seberg glared back at me defiantly. He had spiky short hair and a noticeably toned body. “Bartfort, it’s not as though we want to go to Alzer with you.”

Yeah, same here, buddy. I laughed dryly. “What a coincidence, because I don’t want to go either. On top of that, I have to deal with you jerks! What kind of nightmare is this?”

Chris Fia Arclight was the next to complain. He pushed his glasses up his nose under side-parted blue hair. This guy was a genius with a sword. Some even said he could be the next Sword Saint. While Greg tended to be hotheaded, Chris was more calm and analytical. “If you’re so against studying abroad, you could have simply stayed in Holfort.”

Yeah, that’s exactly what I wanted to do!

Alas, sitting around would only have made me anxious. That was how I’d ended up in this mess.

“No more complaints, loser patrol,” I told them. “This is my ship, so you’d better do as I say. Just get that through your thick skulls, all right?”

Originally, I’d been tasked with heading to the Alzer Republic alone, but unfortunately some scumbag—cough cough, King Roland, cough cough—had put me on babysitting duty. Even then, I’d only gone along with it because Miss Mylene asked for my help. She was just too adorable to resist.

The last member of the idiot brigade was the narcissistic Brad Fou Field. He shrugged and shook his head. His long purple hair was pulled over his shoulder in a low ponytail. This spoiled brat was known for his excellent grades and skill with magic, but beyond that, he was pretty useless. “Who would have dreamed we would be studying together?” he said. “It would appear that the bond between us is as unbreakable as it is undesirable.”

“You took the words right out of my mouth!” I agreed. “I’m busy enough as it is. I don’t have time to play nanny to you creeps!”

They exchanged looks and muttered to each other.

Meanwhile, Kyle, Marie’s elf boy slave, gave the love interests a chilly look. “I do envy their ignorance a little,” he told Marie. “At least we won’t need to worry about where our next meal is coming from.”

Marie nodded. “Good point. We won’t go hungry so long as we’re with my bro—with Leon, I mean.”

The last member of our group was Carla Fou Wayne, who’d decided to join Marie’s entourage after Marie saved her from some bullies. Carla had a slender build and long, straight, navy-blue hair. “It is certainly a relief not to have to worry about food, Lady Marie!” she agreed.

The three of them seemed so genuinely happy about not starving.

Just…what kind of lives have you been living until now? I thought, hiding my face behind my hand. I wiped away my tears and turned back to bark at the idiot brigade. “Until we arrive in the Alzer Republic, you lot are in charge of cleaning the ship. You’ll earn three hundred dia a day. Once we dock, I’ll convert the total into the local currency and pay you in full.”

Julius’s eyes went wide. “Such a pitiful sum—are you trying to insult us?”

What was this guy talking about? That was almost three hundred U.S. dollars a day just for cleaning! Yet they all looked completely shocked.

“You’re a tyrant!” Jilk stepped back as though he couldn’t stand to be near me.

“You intend to force us to clean for that pittance?” Brad’s face contorted with confusion. “This is absurd!”

My shoulders slumped in exasperation. “What’s absurd is the incredible distance between your brains and the real world. Most people would jump at the chance for three hundred dia for a simple cleaning job. I’m being profoundly generous!”

With Luxion around, the Einhorn didn’t need a crew. That meant cleaning was the only real labor left to do. It seemed like the least these bums could do to earn their keep. I was even benevolent enough to offer them a salary, and they treated me like some kind of despot!

“Bartfort!” Greg declared, taking up a battle stance with his deck brush. “I challenge you to a duel! If I win, you shall treat us with more dignity!”

Was he serious? I was actually starting to pity these guys.

“Save the jokes for after you’ve finished working,” I said. “And make it more obvious that you’re messing around next time. I almost took you seriously.”

“I am deadly serious.”

I sighed and covered my face.

“How can anyone be allowed to treat another person like this?” Chris demanded, clenching his jaw.

All I was doing was asking them to work a normal day, and with a two-hour break in the middle. The way they were acting, you’d think I was out for their blood.

“You lot really are useless,” I moaned.

As they shot me angry looks, Marie was already heading inside with a bucket and mop. “Come on, Kyle. You too, Carla. Let’s get this over with.”

“Sounds good!” Kyle agreed. “This place is already pretty clean. I guess we just need to tidy the hallway and scrub the toilets?”

“Oh, I’ll do the lady’s restroom, Lady Marie!” Carla offered.

At least they seemed to be in good spirits.

“I can’t believe he’s offering them so much just to clean. My bro—ahem, I mean, Leon—sure is a sucker,” Marie said to herself as they disappeared inside.

For someone so skilled at manipulating people, she seemed to have a lot of trouble keeping things to herself. Even after being saddled with the band of blockheads, I found it kind of endearing. What was wrong with me?

“Bartfort!” Greg shouted again. “I demand a duel!”

I shot him an icy look before turning my gaze up at the sky. How did I end up stuck with these morons? And why am I headed for the Alzer Republic instead of enjoying my engagement to two beautiful women?

How could I have known that this awful otome game had a sequel?!

“I wonder how the two of them are doing…?” I muttered to myself.

“Hey!” Greg shouted. “Don’t ignore me!”

I turned my back on these yapping fools and started cleaning the deck.

“Baaaaaaaaartfoooooooort!”

“Oh, put a sock in it,” I grumbled. “You morons need to shut your traps and get cleaning.”

I brandished my broom in his direction, and that shut him up.

Just my luck, having to miss my honeymoon because of a stupid job transfer—I’m a stereotype! Why me?!

 

***

 

Back at the academy in Holfort, Olivia was in her room getting changed. Her uniform waited on its hanger, the patch on her jacket testament to her rank as a knight.

Livia had earned a medal for her service in the war against the former Principality of Fanoss. Her bright, flax-colored bob bounced around her chin. She had clear blue eyes, a gentle aura, and soft, voluptuous breasts.

“I wonder if I should buy a new one? But they’re all so expensive…” she waffled, reaching for her shirt.

Before she could decide either way, there was an urgent knock at her door.

“Livia? It’s me.”

Angie Rapha Redgrave. She, like Livia, was engaged to Leon.

“Oh, yes, come in,” Livia said without thinking, shortly before realizing that she was still in her underwear. “Uh, um…oh, no!”

She scrambled to pull on her skirt, lost her balance, and collapsed onto the floor just as the door swung open. Angie stepped inside, her fair hair braided and pulled back into a bun.

“Livia, a letter from Leon has just… Wait. What are you doing?”

“Owie,” Livia whimpered, slumped on the floor with her butt jutting up into the air.

Angie had an unflappably dignified air. When she saw Livia sprawled out on the floor, she frowned and offered her a hand. Angie’s uniform did little to hide her slender, fit form. Her breasts were larger than Livia’s, but they swelled despite their weight—perhaps a byproduct of her refinement and composure.

Livia reached for Angie’s hand, and Angie pulled her easily to her feet.

“Sorry,” Livia laughed, trying to play it off. “I tripped.”

“You know there’s no need to rush on my account,” said Angie. “And besides, I think you’ll want to see this.”

She turned her gaze to the white sphere floating beside her. It was about the size of a softball, with a large blue eye smack dab in the middle. Aside from the difference in color scheme, Cleare was practically identical to Luxion.

“I have an email from Master!” Cleare declared, happily circling the two girls.

“An email?” Livia asked. “What’s that?”

“Apparently it’s similar to a letter,” Angie explained. “But you can exchange correspondence without having to write anything down on paper.”

“These Lost Items sure are incredible,” said Livia, staring at Cleare in wonder.

Angie passed her a printed copy of the message. “It sounds like Prince Julius and the others are already making trouble for themselves.”

Livia read the missive over and a troubled smile rose to her lips.

 

Are the two of you well? I’m already exhausted.

 

The beginning sounded rather ominous, but it seemed like Leon was in good health—although he did have a number of complaints about his traveling companions.

 

Jilk went into a frenzy again today and started kicking up a fuss.

“Your treatment of us is unfair!”

I snorted and kicked their butts, but it only turned into a big, messy fight.

 

“Is Mr. Leon really all right?” Livia wondered.

“He’s fine,” said Cleare. “After all, he has Luxion with him. If anyone tries anything funny, Luxion will dispose of them without a trace.”

Unfortunately, her verbal tics were just as unsettling as Luxion’s.

Angie frowned. “You had better not ‘dispose’ of anyone. Not under any circumstances, understood?”

“Oh, I see—you’re secretly telling me that I should dispose of all of them, yes?”

“No! I meant exactly what I said, and you know it. Why would you even say something like that?”

As the two of them bantered, Livia finished reading Leon’s email.

 

It’s lonely here without you both. I’m already homesick.

 

“Oh, Mr. Leon…” Livia murmured, clutching the paper.

“That part is just lip service,” Cleare chimed in helpfully.

“Sorry?”

According to Cleare, Leon was doing fine on his own. Still, it made Livia smile to read his message. Leon was no different from when he had left.

“I’m glad he’s doing all right,” she said.

Angie nodded. “Indeed. We need to stay strong too. Speaking of which, aren’t you supposed to be taking those scholarship students on a tour of the academy today?”

“Oh, goodness! That’s right!” Livia cried. “I need to get ready!”

She scrambled to pull on her uniform, and Angie was quick to lend a hand. Cleare watched them both through her single blue eye.

 

***

 

I was in the dining hall with Marie while Luxion floated beside me. It was easy to forget that the metal sphere and single red eye wasn’t his real body—that he was actually a remote terminal for an entire spaceship.

“So,” Luxion said dispassionately. “The Alzer Republic is rich in resources and exports many of those goods abroad?”

Marie straightened from scrubbing the table and stretched. “Correct.”

“In other words, they’re a resource powerhouse, and their Sacred Tree is as large as a mountain?”

That was all news to me. I mean, I hadn’t even known that this stupid game had a sequel. As such, I was facing a serious information shortage. That’s where Marie came in. However, there was just one problem.

“And you don’t know anything else about this place?” Luxion asked.

“I already told you!” Marie said. “It’s been a long time since I played, okay? My memory is kinda fuzzy. And you can’t honestly expect me to remember every detail!”

I sprayed the table down with alcohol and polished it with a rag. “The information Miss Mylene gave us was more valuable than anything you’ve said,” I muttered.

According to Mylene, the Alzer Republic’s religion was centered around their Sacred Tree. It was the symbol of their control and smack-dab in the middle of their territory. Its roots extended beneath the six different lands, tying them together. Each land was ruled by one of the Six Great Houses, who came together to make any important decisions, making the country an aristocratic republic.

Even the Holfort Kingdom got its magic stones like Suspension Stones from the Alzer Republic. Holfort had once tried to invade, but they’d suffered a humiliating defeat in the war that followed. Since then, the two countries had managed to cultivate diplomatic ties.

The Holfort Kingdom wasn’t alone in its lust for Alzer’s resources. Over the years, other countries had set their eyes on the republic, only for them to face defeat as well. While it was on point to describe the Alzer Republic as a resource powerhouse, you would have been remiss not to mention that in the history of their nation, they’d never lost a defensive battle.

As we pestered Marie for more details, she paused to comb her shaky memory. “They’re called the Six Great Houses now,” she said. “But there used to be seven.”

“Yeah, yeah, I heard that from Miss Mylene—that ‘the house in charge of their joint assembly was driven to ruin a decade ago’ or something.”

“Bingo. The daughter of that fallen house is the protagonist of the second game.”

“What’s her name?”

“Her last name is Beltre, but it’s an alias. In the game, the player is free to choose her first name. She has pink twintails and tends to be candid. I remember her dialogue choices being pretty lively.”

“That’s unexpected,” I admitted. “Usually otome heroines are quiet and reserved.”

“It’s because the protagonist in the first game was such a dingbat,” Marie laughed. “Everyone hated her. I assume that’s why they made the protagonist for the sequel more outspoken. Either way, she’s leagues better.”

I shot her an icy glare. “Don’t you dare say that in front of Livia.”

Marie averted her gaze. “I-I won’t!”

Luxion continued to study her. “I would appreciate if you could tell us more about the story of the second game.”

Marie paused for a moment. “Um, well, first of all, the protagonist enrolls at the republic’s academy. Their curriculum is fairly advanced, but commoners are allowed to attend as well. That’s where she hooks up with her love interests.”

“So education isn’t restricted to the upper classes? For an aristocracy, that’s quite the bold move,” said Luxion. “Educating the larger population risks engendering revolutionary ideals. Don’t they feel threatened by that?”

“As if I’d have any idea! It’s just a video game. It’s not based on logic.”

“That was quite candid of you.”

Marie ignored him. “The last boss is the head of House Rault. They’re the ones who ruined the protagonist’s family. According to the lore, the head of House Rault was once rejected by the protagonist’s mother. That’s why he ruined her family.”

I snorted. The chairman of their whole assembly was from the protagonist’s house, and this guy destroyed them just because he got rejected? Wow. Otome games sure are something else. Maybe it’s just this series in particular that’s off the rails?

“Are you telling me that he destabilized his entire government over such a petty grievance?” Luxion asked.

I wasn’t so skeptical. I was too busy laughing at the cliché of it all.

“It’s just like the first game,” I said. “Man, all otome games are the same. ‘The protagonist looks like an ordinary person, but she’s secretly harboring amazing power and a unique bloodline!’ Am I right?”

“Your dating sims aren’t any different,” Marie shot back. “They slap on different art, but the story never changes.”

“Don’t lump them together! My dating sims are all unique, okay?”

“Well, they look the same to me!”

Why was she coming for my beloved dating sims out of nowhere?!

As we argued, Luxion interrupted. “Please return to the original topic.”

Marie pouted. “The love interests are all members of the remaining Six Great Houses. The protagonist hooks up with one of them, reclaims her house’s former glory, and lives happily ever after.”

I understood the whole romance aspect well enough, but that was hardly our main problem.

“So what happens with the last boss?” I asked. “If we leave him unchecked, will he obliterate the world?”

“I have no idea,” said Marie. “I just figured it’d be a bad idea not to. After all, the last boss is the Sacred Tree.”

I blinked. “Huh? Hold up, you literally just said that House Rault was the last boss!”

“The head of House Rault fuses with the Sacred Tree!” Marie snapped. She paused, and then her face lit up. “Oh, I just remembered something about that! The Sacred Tree’s energy is channeled throughout the republic. That’s why they sell all their Suspension Stones to foreign powers. The Sacred Tree’s roots extend all over their land, so you can get natural energy from anywhere in Alzer.”

That was pretty incredible. So it seemed their bountiful resources were thanks, in part, to the Sacred Tree.

“Seriously? And that tree is the last boss?”

“Yeah. It lifts itself out of the ground, transforms into some grotesque monster, and descends into a frenzy. It’s ridiculously huge and leaves terrible devastation in its wake. The protagonist defeats it, and then she plants a special item—a sapling that replaces the old Sacred Tree. After that, she’s selected to be some kind of Priestess, and her lover becomes the Tree’s Guardian.”

I really didn’t give a crap about this Priestess and Guardian nonsense, but we couldn’t ignore this last boss.

That was when an idea hit me.

“Hold on, wouldn’t it solve everything if Luxion just destroyed the Sacred Tree now? We could get rid of it before it has time to wreak havoc.”

Marie nodded energetically. “You’re right! As long as the last boss is out of the picture, we shouldn’t have a problem. Okay, Luxion, it’s time to whip out that deadly weapon of yours. Go, destructo-beam, go!”

We both turned to my companion expectantly.

“Are you certain about this?” Luxion asked.

“I mean, if we have to defeat it anyway, we might as well strike first.”

“What I am asking is: Are you certain you want to obliterate the entire republic?”

“Huh?” What about destroying that tree meant wiping out an entire country? I wasn’t following. That’s when it hit me. “Wait a minute, why would defeating the last boss…oh!”

Marie tilted her head in confusion. “What? Why can’t you just destroy it and be done with all of this?”

“You moron. If we get rid of that tree, the whole country literally falls apart!”

“Why?”

“Because it’s the foundation of their economy!”

Thanks to the Sacred Tree, the republic could export all the magic stones it excavated. If the tree was destroyed, they would lose their primary energy resource and would have to depend on those stones instead. They would lose a vital industry and all of the profits that came with it. Though they’d probably destroy themselves well before that in the chaos that followed the death of the tree. It would be the kind of apocalyptic scenario my old world would have faced if it suddenly lost all electricity.

Marie blanched as that sunk in. “I-In that case, we have no choice but to destroy it after it becomes the last boss.”

That was the safest route. I certainly didn’t want to shoulder the burden of decimating an entire country.

I nodded. “Yeah, guess we’ll just have to hope the protagonist and her lover can fulfill their duty.”

Our only role would be to make sure she made contact with her love interests so that their relationships could blossom. At least, that was my plan.

“By the way,” Luxion chimed in, “you mentioned a Sacred Tree Sapling. Will that be capable of producing energy on the same scale as its predecessor?”

“Yeah, that doesn’t seem likely,” I said. “Marie?” She’d described the original tree as being as large as a mountain. There was no way a sapling could generate the same kind of power.

Our questions made Marie frown, looking doubtful herself. “Um, well…in the game, that was the happy ending. I have no idea what happened to the country’s economy in the aftermath.”

“Well, what the heck are we gonna do? At this rate, the kingdom will be in trouble too.”

Luxion bobbed in agreement. “Indeed. Holfort relies on the Alzer Republic for Suspension Stones. The kingdom isn’t completely dependent upon them, but the republic is one of their primary sources of energy.”

“Don’t ask me!” Marie blurted out, frustrated. “I don’t have all the answers! There was no talk in the game about how things turned out politically, okay?!”

I frowned. Well, now what? Seems like the Alzer Republic is screwed on multiple fronts.

As Marie and I fell silent, Julius waltzed in. The moment he spotted us, he raced over.

“Marie, are you all right?!” He checked her over and then glowered at me. “Bartfort, I won’t allow you to get so close to her!”

“Yeah, listen… Her chest is as flat as her back, and that’s not really my thing, so you have nothing to worry about. Anyway, get back to work.”

What was with these buffoons? I could hardly even talk to Marie without one of them losing his wee little mind.

“E-excuse me!” Marie grumped. “They might be small, but I do have breasts, you know!”

It was like someone pointing at plains and calling them mountains.

Julius wasn’t going to take my insult lying down either. “Marie is a wonderful woman!”

“Oh, yeah? That’s great. Well, I have Angie and Livia, so I’ll never be interested in her.”

I would never make such a mistake. Angie’s daddy didn’t seem the type to let infidelity go unpunished. My head would be forfeit—right out a window. Not that I would cheat in the first place. I swear, I would never.

Julius stood protectively in front of Marie, effectively blocking us from talking any further.

I sighed and trudged out of the dining hall. “I seriously can’t even.”

 

***

 

Julius waited for Leon to leave the dining hall and then turned to Marie. “He didn’t do anything to you, did he?” he asked gently.

Marie’s expression was heavy with exhaustion. “I’m fine. Besides, Leon would never put his hands on me.”

“He is a man, you realize. There is no such thing as being too careful.”

Marie had no idea how to reply. Her shoulders slumped. “Julius, I’m going to get back to cleaning. You should too.”

“But wait!”

Marie nudged his back. “Just go!”

“But Marie, I want to be with you!”

“We’ll never get done cleaning at this rate! Return to your station!”

Having been driven out of the cafeteria, Julius stumbled upon Luxion floating around in the hallway. Julius took it upon himself to deliver a list of his complaints. “Hey, your master has his own fianceés, so why’s he cozying up to Marie?” Julius thrust a finger at Luxion. “You better keep a close eye on him!”

“Do not give me orders,” the robot replied coldly. “Return to your work.”

Luxion was usually so obedient to Leon that his brusque manner took Julius by surprise. The prince gaped. “I-I…”

Luxion had already turned his attention to Leon, who was walking down the hallway with his deck brush on his shoulder.

“Luxion, I’m starving. Let’s eat.”

“Master, there’s still forty-five minutes until our lunch break.”

“Who cares? Let’s get some grub.”

“Oh, well. I suppose I have no choice.”

Luxion grumbled at his master’s demands, but the nature of their relationship was undeniable. Something about it got under Julius’s skin.

“Wh-what’s his problem? Honestly!”

 

***

 

Back in Holfort Kingdom, Livia was giving the scholarship students a tour. She hugged her binder of documents to her chest. “Well, I think that’s everything,” she said. “Do you have any questions?”

Although these students weren’t of the nobility, they were largely still wealthy. As sons and daughters of affluent merchants and the like, they seemed like lords and ladies to Livia. Although there were a few oddballs in the mix—a couple of people who’d made names for themselves as adventurers. All of them were over sixteen, and some were even older than Livia. One of them raised his hand.

Livia glanced through her notes for his name. “Yes, um… Mr. Curtis?”

Curtis brushed his long bangs out of his eyes. “I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to attend this academy,” he said with a confident air. “If I might, Miss Olivia, do you happen to be single?”

Some of the students rolled their eyes while others laughed. Curtis didn’t seem to notice any of them.

“I have a wonderful fiancé,” Livia answered with a smile.

Curtis’s shoulders sagged. “That is a shame. If only I had met you sooner.”

Apparently he wasn’t the type to chase girls if they were taken.

Behind Curtis was a tall boy named Aaron. He had shoulder-length brown hair and a headband to pin back his bangs. His sleeves were rolled up, and the front of his uniform was hanging open, exposing toned muscles.

Disgusting, he thought. These rich boys make me want to vomit. That said…

His eyes glinted as he gazed at Olivia. The kingdom had invited him to attend the academy because of his numerous accomplishments as an adventurer. He’d made light of the whole thing at first but enrolled anyway, figuring it might be fun to try the student lifestyle. And there was a very good reason for that…

It’s been a while since I went to school. May as well enjoy it to the fullest. This is my second life, and I plan on playing around to my heart’s content.

Like Leon and Marie, he had also reincarnated into the game.

Maybe I’ll start by messing with this Olivia girl. She said she’s engaged, but what do I care?

He set his dark sights on her.