Chapter 24: Chapter 17 ─ Road to harem

After the duel was over, the faces of dissent on the great nobles like the others were pleasant.

I walked to Randolf to demand my prize.

He said "Please speak to Sara in private while I take care of them". And I nodded after seeing that Lucy was being guarded by the idiots who finally arrived.

I sent them a message on a drone where I was, they came quickly and are now guarding her.

I looked for Sara to talk to her, but I saw her hand coming out from a ship.

I went straight to that ship and she pulled me in.

She said to me.

"What do you think you did?"

"If you wanted to help me what you caused was worse. Now my father will lose Linus-san's support and therefore the other great nobles will be against him."

"He told me himself that he doesn't care as long as you're happy."

"Even if that's so, it doesn't explain why you saved me. Do you want my body that badly?"

"Because I noticed how you were looking at my breasts earlier. I'm flattered at how cute you look looking at them, but just because of that nonsense you caused all this trouble?"

I felt embarrassed to know that I again went through that.

"N-No, of course not."

"You're beautiful it's true. But I really like you."

"I'm realizing that I'm really a horrible man. I have fiancées, but I also want to have you and Lucy by my side."

(It's a good thing that in this world polygamy exists. Otherwise I'd be single and everyone would hate me.)

Sara looked unhappy with the answer I gave her.

"If you think that just because of a sexual impulse I won't get mad at you, you're wrong, kid."

"I'm not lying to you! I'm really attracted to you because of the way you are."

"Really? In that case tell me the same thing you asked Jude, what's my favorite color?"

Sara asked me questions and I answered the ones I knew, there are things I don't know about her, but that's because we've only been doing it for a short time.

She seemed content with the answers now.

"You seem to really feel that way about me. I can't lecture you anymore so I'll stop."

"But..."

She met my eyes with the next thing she said.

"Do you really want me by your side? Even though you distrust my father?"

"I know you're trying to find out about that fire, Rudel, I can't tell you what happened that day because I don't know either, but I know my father did it for a reason."

"He came home that day strange, locked himself in his office and after throwing things at the walls, he came out of his room reeking of alcohol and went straight to see some knights."

"When he returned home he told us that he burnt down the Vermillion Household and they made sure no one got out alive except for Lucy and Diana with some knights looking after them."

"He told us to forgive him, that this sin was his and no one else's."

"After a few days he came out of his room and we treated him normally. Always asking us why he did it, but coming up with the same answer."

"We don't care to know."

"Rudel, you will have to accept this dark side of my family as not digging any further into my father's past. Only then, I will accept being with you even though you look so much like him."

I understood her words, but I really want to know what happened that day.

If there is a possibility that Randolf is a psychopath hiding with regrets. I must stop him at all costs.

But for now, I'll listen to Sara.

"I understand, I won't dig any further I promise."

She hugged me.

"Thank you."

"Please, let me process this for a bit."

"Sure."

She kissed me on the cheek, marking our beginning as a future couple.

◇

A little while after the problems with Aster were over.

I came to spend the day with Erselica and the others.

Lucy was here too.

We were enjoying what was left of our holiday.

We were having a big barbecue to celebrate my victory.

Of course, the money for the meat out of my pockets.

"Liam, don't be picky and eat your vegetables."

"I don't like spinach."

"It was roasted along with the meat, everything roasted tastes better."

"Erselica, if I said no to my mother, I'm afraid I'll say no to you too."

"Stop talking rubbish and eat your vegetables!"

Erselica instead of looking like Liam's girlfriend was more like his mum.

Sara wasn't here as she was leaving everything settled at home.

Lucy was keeping Chlust from eating all the meat Frey was roasting.

Warren as Allen and Cana were putting ice in the drinks.

Clovis was showing us his useless magic tricks that no one was watching.

Regardless of who I was with, this wasn't bad.

It was a good life even without my fiancées.

"Master, a vehicle is approaching."

Suddenly Ixion informed me that a car was approaching.

It was true, it was coming at high speed, we braced ourselves thinking it was some attack and Ixion created a barrier.

As it passed near the mansion, it threw a huge bag into the garden and turned around.

We were puzzled by this oddity, Ixion approached to check if there were any bombs or weapons inside.

"Master, I detect a person inside the bag."

"A person?"

I said as I ran to open the bag, I was in for the not at all pleasant surprise of finding someone unexpected.

"Jude!?"

For some reason, Jude was in the bag, I pulled him out and he was tied up, his mouth had tape on it and on his head was a note stuck.

I ripped it off and on the way some of his hair came out.

I read the note out loud.

"Keep him, I don't want him anymore, he's yours."

"You can kill him or make him your slave."

That's what the note said, signed by the head of Banfield Household, Jude's father, Cliff.

For a father to dispose of his son in this way seems very disgusting to me.

But why send Jude to us?

He wanted to say something, I painfully pulled the tape off his mouth, he coughed because of the dust in the bag.

"It's all your fault, Count!"

"My fault you say?"

I lifted him up only to put my glass of iced tea on his head.

"What are you talking about?"

Jude told us the reason why he was here.

"Thanks to you I lost my emblem, my family abandoned me. My father kept me in the basement of the mansion and I was tortured every day."

"After being beaten for several days he took me out and told me it was an apology gift. I don't have a house or emblem or anything anymore, all because of you!"

This boy... is he really stupid?

Erselica reached over and slapped Jude hard.

"What do you think you're doing woman!"

But she didn't stop, she slapped him until Jude's cheeks were red and he was begging for her to stop.

After she did, she grabbed him by the collar of his shirt.

"Listen up, you idiot boy!"

"You've had it with me from the moment I saw how you treated Lucy. Are you complaining that you lost everything?"

"Be thankful your own country doesn't want to kill you, let alone force you to go abroad until everyone forgets you're hated by everyone!"

(Erselica, he doesn't need to know about your life.)

"Worst of all, you brought this on yourself, why did you have to have such a toxic personality and attitude?"

"If you were your old self, Lucy would have fallen in love with you and you would have been happy with her, but that way of thinking and acting drove her away from you and that's why you caused all those problems!"

"If you want to blame someone, blame yourself!"

Jude understood what Erselica said, but he was still in denial.

"Lucy's supposed to be mine! What's wrong with wanting what's yours?"

She threw him to the ground and then dragged him towards Lucy.

"There she is. Now tell her you love her by looking into her eyes."

"Is that all so you won't doubt my love for her? Well, I will."

The moment Jude would speak, his mouth was breathless.

What's more, his eyes kept staring at the ground.

He wouldn't lift his gaze, just stared at Lucy's feet.

"... Why can't I look her in the face?"

"It's simple. Your heart knows you don't love her and that you hurt her, even if you once truly loved her, you hurt her so much that a part inside you doesn't want her to suffer by your hand."

"That's ridiculous. I love Lucy."

"Look into her eyes."

Jude who was until recently confident, looked at Erselica while avoiding averting his gaze from her.

It seemed that now the idiot did understand.

"Damn..."

His face fell into the grass, Jude cursed his life.

"Damn, damn, damn, damn, damn. Damn!"

"I really... it's no use anymore."

"If my heart really doesn't want her to suffer, then why don't you just kill me already, huh?!"

"I have nothing to live for! My family abandoned me! My own father sold me! I lost everything and I'd rather die than be a bum!"

"That's why I'm asking you to kill me!"

"Don't talk nonsense!"

Erselica lifted Jude up and looked him in the eye, shaking him fiercely as she lectured him.

"Do you really want to die?"

"I'll kill you myself."

"I'll kill you after I've left you like a punching bag. You want to see!"

Erselica's fists began to impact Jude's face repeatedly.

Hearing the word "die" for us carries a great weight that we don't want to remember.

I died a tragic death screaming for help.

She died in a domestic violence incident.

For both of us, hearing how someone who wants to die generates anger and hatred.

That's why she was beating Jude to the point where she knocked out some teeth.

Her bloody fist stopped when Jude, who had a swollen face and blood in his mouth said.

"Please... stop... I don't want to feel any more pain...."

"If you don't want to feel any more pain. Do you want to die now?"

Unexpectedly Jude said the opposite.

"I don't want to... I don't want to die yet... it hurts, but it hurts more knowing that if I die, I'll just prove I'm a coward... even if it hurts a lot, I don't want to die..."

She smiled at him and set him down, she proceeded to heal his wounds with her magic.

"In that case, from now on live. Live like a decent person, I understand that it hurts and that you want to die, but when you manage to find a reason to live, you will see how beautiful life can be."

"There are plenty of girls like Lucy out there. If you behave yourself, you could easily find one."

Jude's face as his teeth slowly returned to normal.

"Now that you're healed. Apologies to Lucy for being an idiot. Even if she won't talk to you at least you'll know she doesn't hate you anymore, right?"

Erselica looked at Lucy who was hiding behind Chlust and Warren, she muttered "I have no problem with that if it's just forgiving him...".

Jude looked at Lucy who stopped feeling afraid for him. His eyes turned red and he began to cry.

He got up and hugged Erselica.

"Waah, thank you so much for helping me, big sister!"

"Big sister!"

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I was shocked when Jude called Erselica big sister.

What kind of bizarre development happened to make this happen?

The idiots tried to take Jude's hands off Erselica which made me think she now had one more pitiful man in her reverse harem.

◇

After the day was over, we returned to my house.

We were exhausted and sat on the couch.

Jude will stay living with Erselica, possibly we will take him to the kingdom as he is useless and also has no one to stay with.

Lucy was beside me and clung to my arm.

"It was a tiring day, wasn't it?"

"It was. But I'm this tired because I've been thinking about Sara a lot lately."

Lucy told me the reason why Sara was harassing her.

I understood that Sara was a good girl, but the mystery of her father still remained.

She put her head on my shoulder.

"Now I'll have to share you with her."

"I'm sorry."

"What are you sorry for?"

"You still don't like Sara."

"It's not that I don't like her anymore, the problem is that you don't understand a girl's heart. We are very petty."

"Surely when your fiancées see me, they'll want to cut my head off."

"Hahaha, they wouldn't do that─"

For some reason I imagined Alisa and Airi with dark looks on their faces while carrying swords.

I hope that won't happen.

"For now, before Sara returns, I'll concentrate on enjoying having you all to myself. It's hard to be the girlfriend of a womanizer who goes for any woman with a big bust."

"Sorry."

"It was a praise, hahaha."

We laughed like fools that night, then went to eat.

And like Lucy said, she assaulted me before sleep.

If this is peace before punishment, then I'll enjoy it as much as I can.

◇◇◇

Inside the Rosenberg Household mansion.

Sara was preparing to move in with Rudel.

She had already said goodbye to all the servants, knight and even Baltort who was injured.

Her parents wished her well, her father wanted to cry and her mother consoled him.

But there was someone she wanted to say goodbye no matter what.

"Romeo, I'm coming in."

Sara got the master key to the house and opened the only room that was locked all day.

There inside that large luxurious room, darkness rolled over her every inch.

There was only one light shining on a desk.

A young man was studying a mountain of books.

He had short blond hair, a regular physique for how thin he was, green eyes and glasses.

He was his younger brother as the heir to the family.

Romeo Ciel Rosenberg, the latest target for capture.

Romeo was a studious boy according to the game.

But what the game didn't say was that he was under constant stress.

At just 15 years old, he entered college a year ago thanks to his father.

His father told him to take it easy and wait to graduate.

But Romeo didn't want to wait.

He wanted to study at the college to become the best student because he was a child prodigy.

But that was his mistake.

College for a child was so heavy with classes that Romeo lived under constant stress and sleeplessness from studying without a break.

To make matters worse, his own relatives at reunions criticized him a lot.

But the worst thing was not that, they preferred his sister as the next head of the family.

After all, the name "Ciel" they bear is from Randolf's mother, the former matriarch, the first time in the history of the Rosenberg family that a woman took the reins of the house.

So, without a solid foundation, Romeo hated his sister because he believed she would take away what was his by default.

Sara walked in with a sister's loving smile.

"Romeo, I have something to tell you."

"What do you want Aneki?"

"I don't know if you heard, but I'm getting engaged, well, I got engaged to Tom and it was cancelled."

"That's why I'm getting engaged again this time, and I'm going away, I wanted you to know that."

Romeo listened to her, but wasn't at all interested in what she was saying.

"Good for you sister."

"Can you go now? I can't study in peace."

Sara thought.

(When was the day you stopped running up to me yelling "I love you onee-chan" on your way to home?)

She thought this was part of growing up.

Romeo was once betrothed to Lucy when they were children, but that betrothal did not last, as the Vermillion Household called it off shortly before the tragedy of the knight Rudel.

Sara said to him before leaving.

"I forgot. Even if you're not interested you should know, he'll be your brother-in-law, my fiancé is Rudel. It's funny how a boy from overseas not only looks like him, but also has the same name as him, isn't it?"

"Good night Romeo."

With a sad expression, Sara left the room.

But for Romero, those words were so heartbreaking that they made him stop writing.

"Rudel... you say."

Then, a strange thought came into his mouth.

"If she's going to leave home with her fiancé... whose name is Rudel... it means she's planning to turn against this family!"

The stress of studying every day without a break and getting little sleep has caused Romeo to lose the use of his reason.

Coupled with his relatives' negative comments to him.

"I can see that. She couldn't take control, just like that."

"That's why she looked for a guy from a foreign country. Is his name Rudel? Just like him?"

"Bullshit! You're just looking for a substitute for that guy and in order to take control of this house you'll do anything to destroy me!"

"But you know what Aneki? I won't let you do it!"

Romeo made an imaginary enemy.

But that was because, for some reason, the emblem of the sacred tree was glowing a strange red color.

◇◇◇

Late at night.

Lugh was still waiting for Diana in the lobby of his house.

He had been waiting for her return for several nights.

Suddenly, the door opened and she walked in with a suitcase.

"Diana!"

Lugh shouted with joy when he saw her.

He immediately went to hug her, but she objected.

"Sorry, I'm sweaty, I want to shower first."

"I-I understand."

Lugh called a maid to get Diana's bath ready.

After waiting a while, she came downstairs changed her clothes and perfumed.

Lugh went to hug her again this time, but Diana refused.

"Sorry Lugh, but you stink of sweat too. Besides, I just came for some stuff."

"You came for some stuff?"

"Are you going out again?"

Diana fixed her hair, she replied without even looking at him.

"Yes, because I'm doing some important things, I'll be late again."

"I'm sorry, but I don't think I'll be able to be with you for the rest of the holiday."

Lugh showed unintentional anger.

"Diana, you've been avoiding me lately, I don't like that, I feel like you're avoiding me on purpose!"

Diana scolded him for yelling at her.

"Don't be a crybaby. I want to be with you, but I have more important things to do."

"Goodbye, they came for me."

A limousine that wasn't from Lunor Household parked nearby, Diana grabbed her bags and ran to the vehicle.

She got in and said goodbye to Lugh.

Lugh showed his displeasure with her through his furious eyes.

◇◇◇

Inside the vehicle, there was Zack eating a hamburger.

Driving the vehicle was one of the knights who had looked after them since the fire, a man with a moustache called Lutart.

He is a teacher at the academy.

Zack spoke to Diana with his mouth full.

"Hey, Lugh seemed upset, are you sure you didn't say anything to him?"

"I'm protecting Lugh. If he finds out what I'm doing, he'll be upset with me."

Diana loved Lugh so much, she was protecting him from the danger to come.

But he didn't expect her not to understand that she was causing worse trouble for him for that reason.

The two were conversing, unaware that behind them they were being followed by a very small vehicle.

Zack said to Diana.

"Hey, is it true that Sara got engaged?"

"With Tom it was before, but not now."

"Really! Does that mean she's free now?"

Zack was for some reason happy, but Diana dashed his hopes fast.

"Lutart told me that she's already engaged... and to that Rudel guy."

"... I see."

Diana knew that Zack was in love with Sara, that's why telling him this news didn't please her at all.

"By the way Diana, you should eat more."

"I don't want to get fat."

"You should, your breasts are small because you don't eat."

"Idiot!"

Diana slapped Zack hard, demonstrating their friendship.

They were friends even if others wanted to see them as a couple.

After arriving at the port, they went to an enclosed hangar, there in the distance, Lugh watched them enter.

"Diana, what are you doing with Zack in there?"

Lugh wanted to go in, but if indeed Diana was working on something secret, he didn't want to seem like a busybody in their privacy, he will stay there until they come out.

After entering, the lights came on and a large airship was in there.

It was being repaired.

"Hello you guys, glad you made it."

Said a strange male-sounding electronic voice.

"You said the ship will take a while to be repaired. Also, you recorded what happened that day of Sara's wedding, show it to us."

"Understood, Master Diana."

An Ixion-like sphere appeared, it was purple in color and its led eye was yellow.

"Zero, don't waste our time."

It was called Zero and it was an artificial intelligence.

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