Chapter 45: Bonus Save 01 – Casual Conversation

After arriving home, I told my family that I was going out again, they didn't seem to mind, but I didn't care either.

I went out again and quickly arrived at the port.

The girls were already there.

I came straight down the stairs and ran to them. They were in their uniforms for some reason.

I asked them, "Why are you still wearing your uniforms?"

I was wearing it too since I couldn't change, but they instead said.

"We forgot, when we go upstairs we'll change."

"I understand."

"And your brother?"

"He's talking to the captain right now. It looks like we'll be sailing soon."

"What about the airships that will be accompanying us?"

I was very curious about the number of airships that will be going, it was mostly out of curiosity, and because Ixion won't try to presume that he can handle them all by himself.

"Rudel... all the airships present are the fleet we will be taking."

I was left unresponsive to such folly.

In this port I could count that there are around 50 airships, that means it's barely a battalion.

The time when Alisa came to support me during my fight against the sky pirates, she carried a fleet of almost 30 airships.

But this time it seems to be a smaller number due to it being a research-only trip.

"Carrying so many airships would only make people think that we are barbarians."

"Rudel-san..."

"Rudel, you're no one to say that."

"Huh? What are you talking about?"

"You think we don't know that you attacked territories under the prime minister's name?"

"And you even bombed them first and then presented the document.

"The only barbarian here is you.

That offended me, but I didn't respond as I enjoyed humiliating those conspiratorial idiots.

After chatting for a while, Alisa's older brother arrived accompanied by a man of short stature, mustache and uniform.

As he stood in front of us, he introduced it.

"I'm glad you are ready now, let me introduce him to you. He' s the captain of the fleet."

The man removed his cap and I observed his bald head with few hairs on it.

"A pleasure to meet you, I am the second son of an Earl house, Mathias van Grease, nice to meet you viscount."

"Likewise. We will be in your care."

"No, no, no."

"It's really nice to meet you."

"I've been serving as captain for 35 years, the skies and islands were occupied by fearsome pirates who prevented merchants from coming to the Kingdom and their hideouts on islands of terrible nobles."

"But thanks to you we are having peaceful times as many of those pirates and nobles have left the territories."

That almost made me blush.

"Well, let's not waste any more time, let's set sail immediately."

"Please Vayne-sama, board the flagship to depart."

The flagship was the central airship that had the coat of arms of Bismarck Household, the airship that the captain commanded.

But before I turned around to board my Brunhilde airship, camouflaged as a simple, very eccentric luxury ship, Alisa's brother said.

"I'm sorry, but I'd like to board the viscount's airship, if you don't mind of course."

For the heir to a ducal house to say he prefers to go on a regular ship is shocking to many.

I looked at Alisa to see if she agreed.

"Rudel, this is an opportunity for Bismarck Household to have a good impression of you after what happened, I suggest you think nothing of it and accept."

In other words. "Let my brother come up as he may not have forgiven you for what you did to me."

With no other choice but to say.

"Sure, I have no problem with that."

I flashed my best smile as I said that.

Vayne didn't change his smile, he told the captain that he would be boarding another aircraft and notified him.

He wasn't the only one to board. Other members of the Bismarck faction including servants, sailors and knights did as well.

They didn't want to leave a duke's heir alone without escorts and servants.

Alisa also went up with some maidservants.

Things would get boisterous.

◇

After setting sail, I showed their rooms to the unwanted guests who came up.

The girls' rooms were just as prepared, I asked Ixion to turn them into normal rooms after our fight, but then rebuilt them as they were before, but with specifications they wanted.

Their rooms were connected by a door. They too asked for the rooms to be decorated by themselves and to be the size of their dormitory at the academy.

In the rooms of both of them were dolls just like us, including the gifts that old man gave them from me.

But there was only one who didn't go into his room to leave his things, it was Alisa's brother, but because his servants did it for him.

There was a butler at his side, he had the perfect description of a hired hand enslaved by his company.

Short hair combed to the sides, round glasses and a trimmed beard.

His name was Derek von Goldsmith and he was Vayne's right hand man since he graduated from the academy. he even went with him to the academy.

Vayne commented to me as he walked the aisles of the perfectly camouflaged aircraft.

"The exterior is very eccentric no doubt. But the interior indicates a designer with a lot of class and fine tastes decorated it."

Ixion hovering beside me in hiding whispered to me.

"Looks like Alicelotte's older brother has a good sense of taste unlike someone."

"Shut up."

"Did you say something?"

"N-No, nothing!"

I panicked for a moment thinking that he heard me. Although there were people who already knew about Ixion's existence after the cruise, he disliked being seen.

Do you hate humans that much?

Vayne arrived at a large hall that Ixion built for meetings.

"Oh, this place is more spacious than I imagined! It's really amazing the designer's work."

"It's good work no doubt my lord."

Derek approached me and said.

"Excuse me viscount, would you mind giving me your designer's contact information?"

I didn't know what to say so I just said.

"I-I actually it already came like this when I found it! Hahaha."

It would be bad if others think that Ixion is able to do everything. I don't want people who smile at me want to kill me to get hold of it.

Vayne looked around the room with interest, but his eyes focused on something that caught his attention more.

"Those things are interesting."

He was looking at some floating robots with arms carrying food and cleaning up.

In the evening there was going to be a dinner here.

The dinner was a request from Alisa as she had an important guest.

Vayne was staring at those robots, it made me a little nervous.

Then she turned and said.

"I want to rest for the night."

"By the way, viscount, did you bring a suit?"

"A suit? No. I just brought normal clothes."

"The trip is about four days, so formal clothing is strange for you at this time of year, isn't it?"

"I-I don't really see the need to wear one when there's nothing to do with it..."

"Right. Derek, ask the maids to sew him a suit quickly. Take her measurements."

"Understood my lord."

"Huh?!"

Why do I have to wear a suit now?

I only wore one when I'm appointed as a knight.

"Viscount, please come with me."

"Huh... I..."

Derek took me to a room to take my measurements leaving Vayne alone.

◇◇◇

Vayne was momentarily left alone.

He walked over to a wall and touched it as if examining it.

(It's genuine wood, but the feeling seems fake.)

(As if it was just a facade to hide something?)

◇◇◇

At the same time in the royal palace.

Two people were drinking tea together.

One of them was an old man with closed eyes, the prime minister, Mayer von Ritzburg.

Next to him was a beautiful woman with long silky ash blonde hair, navy blue eyes and wearing a beautiful white dress like her tiara.

She was the queen of this kingdom. Lecia von Altfode.

Lecia drank her tea with elegance and manners befitting a queen.

The strange thing was her mood.

Mayer noticed that.

"My queen, could you stop making that expression?"

Lecia was in a bad mood.

It was because of what was going on in the continuing room.

There, four people were having a typical gathering of nobles. A tea party in other words.

Three boys were sitting at a table, all three were attending to the fourth person.

She was a girl of small stature, orange hair with three antennas coming out of her head, hazel eyes and glasses.

She was like Rudel, a reincarnate. She, Erselica van Reinfield, was making an expression of pleasure.

"Umm~! How delicious~!"

Erselica was eating some vanilla flavored chocolate cream cookies.

Tea exported from a country called the orthodox kingdom was served in her cup.

"Erselica, would you like some more?"

Said a muscular boy with red hair and eyes, it was Chlust van Arses who was putting desserts near Erselica.

"Erselica-chan, do you like this imported tea?"

"Yes! It's very delicious!"

"I'm glad you like it, I requested it especially for you."

A handsome slim boy with muscles was serving her tea. His hair and eyes were emerald green, Frey van Nightray was the one who with a smile was preparing more tea despite there being servants in the room.

"Erselica-san, is your chair comfortable?"

"Yes, thank you for worrying about me, Your Highness."

Erselica smiled at a boy.

That boy was a very handsome one with silver hair and purple eyes. Just as she said, that boy was the crown prince of the country. Liam von Altfode.

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The smile Erselica showed Liam, made the other two boys next to him, look at the situation with a bad face.

It was Frey who spoke.

"Erselica-chan, what are you planning to do this holydays?"

"Umm... nothing really. I'm just hoping a certain someone will be available soon."

The three of them swallowed saliva as they heard her.

It was Liam who asked.

"W-who is the person you're waiting for?"

"Huh? My father who is busy. Only he can pick me up in the capital."

The worried expression of the three changed to one of joy.

It was Liam who again said.

"Erselica-san, if you don't mind, you can stay at the palace as long as you want."

"I will make sure you have the best attention from the maids as your private room. Anything you wish for just ask me and I'll get it. After all."

Liam brought his hand close to hers.

"I want the person who supported me when I was bad to be happy."

Chlust had a sneaky look in his eyes, so he bragged about what Liam said while for some reason, showing off his biceps.

"I'm sorry prince, but I think that will be impossible, after all, you have meetings with ministers and nobles, don't you?"

Liam remembered that it was true what Chlust said.

After the events of the attack on the cruiser, Liam was renamed prince the heir as it was reported that he was the one who defeated the Bloody Knight.

"I-even if that's the case, I'll find time to talk to Erselica-san."

"But you didn't have much free time today, did you?"

"You said you could only stay for an hour maximum and you almost finished that hour."

"That's why I think there's no better option than Erselica staying in my family's territory these holydays."

"Wait a minute."

Frey said showing a vein in his forehead.

"Why should Erselica-chan go to an ape's house?"

"If she wants to go to someone's house, there's no better choice than mine. Everything is refined and elegant because of my parents so she will only look at beauties and not country animals."

Chlust stood up in annoyance.

"What are you implying seaweed head?"

"Are you saying that on my territory's turf there can't be anything fancy?"

Frey also stood up.

"I believe it. The difference between a country frontier and a frontier with neighboring islands is culture. And I doubt there is that on your island."

"In that case, the best option is the palace."

Liam said standing up, with a smile and serious expression in his eyes.

"Everything they said applies perfectly to the royal family. If she wants to visit a long wide and no buildings nearby, the palace can send her on a fancy boat. That way she can have both nearby, right?"

The three were clearly having a dispute over a girl. While the one causing this herself.

(Kyahh~)

(There are three gallants arguing over me!)

(If I had female friends, I'd be the envy of them all.)

(In my previous life this was just a dream. But now it became a reality.)

(So, let's keep acting a little more like that flower-headed idiot.)

*cough*

"Guys."

Erselica called out to them in a fearful tone. The three looked at her and she put her hands over her mouth and averted her eyes from their faces.

"If you are arguing because of me. I'm sorry, I'll leave right away."

The instant they heard her, the three of them calmed her down.

"You're wrong!"

"We weren't fighting!"

"We were just thinking what place would be best for you to stay until the meantime!"

"If that's the case... can't it be in the houses of the three of you?"

Erselica looked at them in a way that made their hearts alter too quickly.

Then they pulled themselves together and said.

"I-if that's the case, it doesn't matter whose house you go to."

"That's true. What matters is that you wish to be calm. If you care about safety, no more pirates around our surroundings."

"Indeed. So, if you wish to go out somewhere, just let us know."

"Thanks a lot, guys!"

Erselica's smile made the three of them blush so much that they themselves averted their gazes from her.

They continued to say more cheesy things that were overheard by the servants and Lecia herself in the room where she was drinking tea.

Her facial expression only getting worse, showing a deep desire to send that girl to the gallows.

"My queen, please calm down."

"How can you tell me to calm down Mayer?"

"Didn't you hear them?"

"Those three are obviously gawking at her! It's not normal that."

"It's certainly not normal for three men to be after one woman."

"Mayer, that's not what I'm talking about. I'm talking about that..."

Lecia had a lump in her throat at what she was about to say.

"I don't care if it's a school or coming romance. The problem is that Liam and those three seem focused only on her."

"Think about what would happen if the worst happens... if she ends up pregnant."

"Who would be the father?"

Mayer showed sweat on his forehead.

"My queen, I think you're overreacting. The prince is not an idiot not to realize that."

Uncontrollable laughter came from the other room.

"I hope so..."

"If you worry about that, why don't you worry about what I heard that day."

"Is it day?"

Lecia was puzzled by Mayer's question.

"Yes. The day the viscount apologized to you."

Lecia lifted her shoulders slightly and quickly for a moment.

Then she averted her eyes dumbly.

"T-That was just a joke!"

She remembered what happened the day Rudel apologized for what he said.

◇◇◇

"I'm so sorry!"

Rudel was prostrate on the ground begging the queen for forgiveness.

Behind him were Alisa and Airi.

They too begged for forgiveness.

They were the four of them alone in a room.

It happened a little while after arriving after the cruise.

Lecia raised her hands because of how surprised she was.

"Please viscount, calm down!"

"I am truly sorry!"

"We ask for forgiveness on behalf of him as well Your Majesty!"

Lecia moved her hand closer to Rudel.

"Viscount Bradford, you mustn't worry. It was just a misunderstanding, wasn't it?"

"I forgive you for all the trouble caused."

Rudel lifted his face and tears were streaming down his cheeks.

He took Lecia's hand.

"Thank you so much my queen, you are indeed merciful!"

Lecia smiled like a child at being called like that.

"Indeed. Not worry-"

She was cut off from her words because of what was happening.

Her hand was being held by Rudel. There was nothing weird about that.

What was strange was the way it was being held.

Rudel was touching her hand in a very obscene way. Lecia could feel that this way of holding her hand was not appropriate.

"Viscount..."

"How wonderful the queen is, so wise and compassionate."

"...Viscount."

"Truly there is no woman like the queen."

"Viscount..."

"I swear to serve you forever because of your gratitude..."

"Viscount. Let go my hand."

Her tone and expression turned a somber one at that moment.

Rudel noticed how her bright blue eyes were darkened and her look was one of displeasure.

He stood up all flustered.

"I'm so sorry, if you'll excuse me, I'll leave!"

Rudel turned and hurried away. The other two hurried after him.

Lecia looked at her hand. She could wash it to get rid of the unpleasant feeling. But she simply remembered the way her hand was touched.

It was just like a novel she read. It was about a maid and her master. The maid was having a secret affair with the man her mistress was her best friend.

As the master and the maid could not be together. They only touched each other's hand in a way that made it look like they were very close.

Lecia felt that they were so.

She didn't notice that then some maids came in and after seeing Rudel run away and the strange state of her. They could only think of something horrible.

For that reason Lecia was upset.

"You don't need to say anything Mayer. It was just a joke."

"Huh, why?"

"It was just a joke wasn't it? What's so weird about it then?"

"My queen. You are very strange."

Lecia blushed as she was the only one looking weird at this situation.

Mayer was looking at her weird.

Across the room giggles of young people could be heard rejoicing. But more than anything else, her emotional state was weird.

(It's just a joke. Besides, I'm a married woman.)

(Stop thinking nonsense, Lecia.)

The Queen did not sleep well that night.