Chapter 4: Chapter 02 ─ The Awful Herring Household

The days passed quietly.

Before I knew it almost a month had passed.

I really feel at home here.

There are a lot of jerks like cretins, but there are also kind and nice people.

Unlike the kingdom where almost everyone is obnoxious, I wouldn't mind living here with the girls.

I even thought about taking out a low nobility title to live here.

A low nobility title is when a nobleman from abroad wants to live here.

I would be a baron again, but I would have my own house and would only have to look for a job.

But Alisa belongs to the duke's house, she would not leave her family any more than Siegwald the duke would dare to let me go.

That man's eyes are scary.

I prepared to leave, had breakfast and grabbed my house keys.

After opening the door, I found something strange.

"Good morning."

Sara, the villainess or better known as the princess of the Rosenberg Household, was waiting for me in her limousine.

In this country there are cars, they have a look of the silent movie era.

The driver who had the door open and she who greeted me from inside said.

"Don't you want to hurry? You'll be late."

I wanted to tell her "The same applies to you" but I better kept it to myself.

I went inside after saying hello.

The interior was very nice, the seats were fine and there was even a bottle of champagne.

Sara was next to me looking out the window, unintentionally my gaze went down to her chest, I could see the large size of her bust as it remained firm.

They were almost like Alisa's, bred to be elegant and of a strong character her breasts.

"How's life at the academy going for you?"

She suddenly turned and asked me that.

I returned my gaze to the front to avoid contact with her.

"I-I'm doing fine. Everyone is nice and there are no problems."

"I see."

"By the way, you're the first foreigner I've met. Are you having trouble with the local language?"

Since we arrived, we've been speaking Aster's language.

It's complicated a bit, but we can speak it slowly.

But Sara has been speaking the language of the kingdom to me since we met.

By the way, Sara is very kind. Whenever we meet for any reason at school she greets me properly and that made even classmates from other classrooms do it too.

It seems that the princess of the great nobles has deep meaning.

Before I knew it, Sara came up to me, her thighs were touching my leg, her fingers almost touching mine.

She asked me in a low voice.

"Hey, can I ask you a favor?"

"A favor?"

If you just want to ask me for a favor, this is unnecessary.

"You see, I really want us to get along. So, if you have any problems feel free to use my name."

"Y-You're really sure about asking me to use your name just because you want to be friends with a peasant from abroad?"

(Sounds too good to be true.)

Sara flashed a spoiled child's pout.

"Mm, you don't believe me?"

Her pout was really charming, reminding me of Airi.

I miss her soft cheeks.

"I-I understand. So please stay away."

I'm an engaged man, it would be bad for me to be seen with a woman other than my fiancées.

"Oh? Does it bother you that I'm this close?"

She moved closer, her breasts started to touch my belly.

"Hey, since you're a year younger than me, would you mind calling me onee-chan?"

"Onee-chan!"

This is already out of the ordinary, Ixion, Aster's people are really weird.

"You can also call me Sara-chan, but I prefer to be onee-chan fufu."

She was getting frisky, I'm a man who loves big breasts.

So this happening is very scary for my lower part.

"A-ah, the academy!"

Thank heavens we arrived at the academy.

I got off quickly and said goodbye.

"B-Bye."

I ran out, Sara came out behind me.

"Rudel-kun wait a moment please! I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable!"

I didn't feel awkward, I felt so complimented that if I didn't run away something bad was going to happen.

But before I knew it, I found myself in a crowd of students.

"Excuse me."

I didn't know what was going on, but they were muttering something.

"Poor kid."

"I heard it was definitely him."

"I guess another year we'll have to witness this cruel hunt."

Before I knew it I reached the student center.

There I was shocked by what I saw.

"Hold on Clovis!"

"Damn, why did this happen?"

I found Erselica and the others giving Clovis first aid.

I asked Warren who was a little beat up what happened.

"Hey four-eyes, what happened here!"

"Bradford? What a pathetic state it is for you to see us like this."

Come to think of it, it's not just him, everyone seemed to have struggled, even Erselica had her hair in disarray as she used healing magic on Clovis.

"Tell me what happened."

"It was a prank."

"A prank? By whom?"

"A boy named Derrick waited for us here earlier, apparently he wanted a fight, we ignored him."

"But he started teasing Erselica about her height and bust and we couldn't take it anymore. His Highness Liam was the only one we left out so nothing would happen to him, but suddenly..."

"What happened?"

Warren pointed to the center.

"He used something. The back of his hand glowed and then some roots came out and caught us all, since Clovis was the only one who got out of the vines tried to protect His Highness and Erselica, Derrick's group used him as a punching bag."

I hated these guys, but messing with them, especially Liam was an international problem considering his status.

Plus, for some reason I feel annoyed to see them beaten up like this.

"Rudel-kun!"

Sara arrived and saw this mess.

She covered her mouth and her look of shock indicated to me that she wasn't aware that this was going to happen.

I thought going to pick me up at my house was part of a plan after seeing this, but apparently not.

She approached Frey and asked.

"Derrick is responsible for this isn't he?"

We were all surprised that she knew that name.

Frey commented that he did.

"I see."

She looked down at the floor in annoyance, turned to Erselica after raising her gaze.

"Please allow me to pay for everyone's medical expenses."

"This is a problem I can't let go, we are both the sons of great nobles."

"It is shameful for me that a fellow compatriot would use with you the blessing of the emblem of the sacred tree for something like this."

"Blessing of the emblem of the sacred tree? What is that?"

I asked curiously.

She answered after raising her right hand and showing me the back of it.

A green colored emblem which forms a crest similar to tree roots she showed us.

"This is the emblem of the sacred tree, it is a blessing received by the seven founding families, their children, their vassals, their relatives."

"Each emblem is catalogued into five categories: knights, low-ranking nobles, middle-ranking nobles, sons among other relatives and finally the emblem of a great noble."

"Long ago there was another emblem, the emblem of the priestess, but it has long since been lost..."

At this point I was getting information from the game Erselica told, but Sara corroborates.

The emblem she speaks of is the emblem of the matriarch of Vermillion Household as also the royal ruler of this country.

There was another emblem that goes before the priestess, the emblem of the guardian.

But Sara doesn't mention it, never mind, I got enough information.

Although her expression when mentioning that there is no longer since 10 years a priestess is curious.

I said to her.

"I understand, thank you for explaining. Please help us."

"I will."

We went to the hospital.

◇

The doctors said Clovis would be fine, but he definitely needs rest.

The others can go home or back to school without a problem, but they wanted to stay with him.

I went back to the academy to calm the rumors about us being sent home.

We can't go back until we know where the heroine is and who she would be staying with.

But again I again felt someone looking at me.

◇

A new morning came, Erselica and the others didn't come today either, at least they said they would come after noon after visiting Clovis.

Sara waited for me at the school gate, she had a downcast look on her face.

As soon as I approached her she said.

"I'm sorry. I couldn't convince him to leave you alone, he said this is Aster's pride and if I meddle I'll be meddling in Herring Household affairs."

"Meddling in private affairs of some great noble or his kin is a crime we must not violate."

"It would bring the wrath of the sacred tree, that's why he couldn't help you. Derrick qualified molesting them as an oath to the sacred tree. For us to swear under the name of the sacred tree is very important."

"Again, I'm so sorry."

I don't know what made me raise my hand and stroke her head.

"You did good," I told her.

She wanted to cry, really Sara is a good friend as an ally.

Now it's my turn to see what I do about Derrick.

I will have to ask Erselica more details if she knows anything about him.

◇

Lunchtime came around.

I got a bit of information from her who came to turn in some outstanding assignments.

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She told me that Derrick was an in-game character, a major annoyance in the heroine's development and capture target.

By the way, Erselica couldn't find her at all.

"You really have the guts to show up here."

Suddenly my meal was interrupted by an idiot.

He had annoyed me a few times before, today was no exception.

The idiot was a boy with short blond hair, sharp blue eyes and handsome face.

His introduction is always annoying.

"I, Grams, the second son of Viscount Anson, can't stand to see a peasant foul our hallowed grounds with his stench."

That idiot Anson has been pestering me with the same thing.

This boy's identity is from a family originally from the kingdom.

In the kingdom he bothered me to recruit me for Liam's personal army.

During the chaos of the war he fled with his family.

Now I find him here, he doesn't seem to remember me, but I remember him.

He kept talking trash until I couldn't take it anymore and told him a few truths.

"Hey, did you know that the nobles who talk a lot, are the first to die on the battlefield?"

"I beg your pardon?"

"It's as you hear. I fought in a war, I saw a lot of people who wanted to die, many of them were idiots like you who wanted to achieve feats."

"But they lost their lives pathetically. If you were in a war, you would surely be the first to die, since the nobles who only talk always end up buried first."

"On that I disagree."

A loud-sounding voice took me to task.

I noticed as a boy taller than me approached.

His appearance was of a stocky, long hair tied in a ponytail and just like his eyes were red in color.

"Third year student, Gasper Ried Peetack, heir to Viscount Peetack. I couldn't resist correcting you about what you said."

The tall guy faced me, I didn't let on. He reminds me a bit of Chlust, but at least that guy's a jerk.

"What do you want to correct me on?"

"On everything. It's not for idiots to die on the battlefield. It's an honor in fact."

I was annoyed when he said that.

"Are you saying you don't mind dying on the battlefield?"

"Of course not, it's an honor that every noble─"

Before he finished speaking I took a leap after charging magic power into my body, using muscle strengthening magic and lifting my leg to hit his head.

The guy looked confused, I punched him hard in the belly and left him lying there.

I said to him from how high up I was as I saw him from below.

"That's what war is like you idiot. At any moment you can be attacked and it can kill you."

"Do you think you can do something against a surprise attack aimed at you or your allies?"

"Yeah you can't stop an attack like that, let alone an ambush."

I turned and walked away, but not before watching as that idiot Anson stood there with a red look on his face and his teeth clenching.

◇

Night fell.

I went to eat outside since Erselica and the others were out of food.

I met Allen and Cana, her friends and servants at the market, they had no money and were starving.

I felt partly sorry for Erselica's group.

So I gave them money to buy food and say it was 90% off.

Since I gave them a lot of money, I went to the bank to withdraw more.

Aster's banks are the same as the banks in my previous life, I used a checkbook instead of a document that stated how much I will spend and what I will buy and what else.

"Hey nii-chan. what do you have there?"

After leaving the bank, I was surrounded by three weird guys.

Ah, it's this. In this world there's that too.

The three weird guys left me no escape whatsoever.

Even the security guard couldn't do anything.

He was an elderly man.

"Boy, you look like you're not from around here, foreigner?"

"That's right, I'm from the kingdom of─"

"We're not interested in where you're from, we just want to let you know how things work around here."

"First of all, when you meet misters like us you should always be respectful."

"Secondly, when one of them extends his hand like this. You should always smile and give him all your money."

"And third, if you have more, you must hand it over to us for your own safety and yours, got that right kid?"

My face at being extorted was bored, before I had freaked out and run away, but after fighting that monster last year, these guys are nothing.

"Ixion."

I spoke his name and suddenly lightning struck those guys.

It was soothing to watch them convulse.

I stepped on one of them to go home, I said to Ixion.

"Thank you."

And I went straight to my bed.

◇◇◇

A few hours later, that same group of men went to their base.

Criminals like them live in a luxurious area like hotels or medium-sized houses.

But these criminals were different. Normally Aster secretly negotiated with people of this ilk for economic reasons.

To get more money in exchange for half of the goods.

This criminal group was linked to a certain nobleman.

"Boss!"

The trio of men entered.

A large room decorated with animal skins and a fireplace gave it a homely detail of the countryside.

Near the fireplace stood a man in a suit and hat with a short stature, toad-like face, flattened mustache and foxy look.

He was the chief's right-hand man, Barbro Montserrat.

Barbro addressed the men.

"What's the matter with you guys?"

"Montserrat underboss, we're in trouble!"

"Some idiot from abroad did this to us."

"A foreigner? You didn't do anything to him?"

"N-No. He did something weird to us and we ended up on the ground unconscious."

"A-Aside from that he stole all the money we had collected today!"

The others saw their companion lie, they knew that hadn't happened, but they understood right away that lying would save their lives.

What would happen if a young foreigner humiliated them?

They understood at once that lying was the best solution to their problems.

They said crazier and crazier things, the short man looked at them doubtfully until he heard the voice of his boss.

"Barbro, it doesn't matter if you doubt them, what matters is what they said."

"A foreigner humiliated them. That's bad for us, the Bartolini Family."

The boss turned around in his armchair and everyone could see his face.

He was dressed in an elegant suit made of leather, his long brown hair and eyes matched his tanned skin.

He adjusted his hat as he took out a cigarette.

He was the head of one of the three great crime families of the world. Enzo Kreston Bartolini.

"We must teach him a lesson, messing with us is something only an idiot would do. Go to him for details."

"Details?"

"They say he was a young foreigner, it means he is perhaps a student at the academy or university, if you ask him for help he will surely give you information, go."

"Roger!"

The men ran off.

◇◇◇

In a luxurious room of a luxury hotel, a party was taking place.

Which was being hosted by Derrick.

They were celebrating how they beat to death a foreigner who owed money to their house.

"Gyahaha! Today was great, no doubt the great Derrick-sama is the strongest in the world."

"Derrick-san, some guys want to talk to you."

"Hah?"

Derrick was having fun, there were women, white powder and drinks in the place.

They were doing activities that healthy teenagers shouldn't be doing.

Derrick put on his pants and buttoned the buttons on his shirt to go check on the guests.

His subordinate told him that these guests were special, upon hearing that word, Derrick knew not to bother them or treat them badly.

In this world it is normal to be a pirate, but it is not normal for a country to trade with them.

Aster is known as being the strongest on the defensive, if a country attacked them they would sink them since they used the power of the sacred tree.

But there are times where power is not enough, repairs, equipment replacement, food, ammunition all cost.

Aster is an energy power but not a weapons power.

For that reason, they needed weapons.

Because it was impossible for pirates to roam free, some great nobles turned them into baronets so there would be no problems.

These "baronets" were commonly known as Knight Pirates, as they did not possess the emblem that a knight should possess.

Derrick entered the room and saw three men waiting for him, he was going to greet them, but they omitted the greeting.

"We are sorry to disturb you at this time of night, Derrick-dono. But we need your help."

"How can I help you?"

"Do you recognize or have you ever seen this person?"

One of the three men, who knew how to draw, showed a drawing of a young man and placed it on the table.

It was Rudel standing there.

Derrick stared at it and commented.

"No. I haven't seen anyone like that before."

"But, Derrick-san. Don't you remember that boy was part of the nobles of the kingdom we disturbed?"

"Really? I didn't remember, he has a simpleton face."

The thugs were glad to hear that.

Their leader spoke even more respectably to Derrick.

"Derrick-dono, we ask you to please give us all the information you can give about him."

"What did he do to you to make you look for him?"

"He messed with our business. And messing with the Bartolini Family is a serious mistake."

Hearing that they were part of the Bartolini's, Derrick was glad from the bottom of his heart.

"Please let me help you, after all he is part of my prey."

"We gladly accept the help."

Derrick smiled evilly as he thought of how to eliminate Rudel.

(Gyahaha. Kill a third world scum and improve my status as achieving a more stable relationship with them.)

(I appreciate it you idiot.)

Derrick moved to eliminate Rudel.

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