59 – Reunion with my little sister

[Brad’s Perspective]

Bismarck and the others were deliberating whether to mobilize the knights and vassals to counter an attack by mysterious monsters. I got dragged into the strategy meeting too.

“Your Majesty! We must immediately rally all the vassals and exterminate these mysterious monsters! If we don’t act, they’ll reach the capital in no time!”

“No, no, the monsters’ movements are unpredictable. Mobilizing troops recklessly would be a waste.”

The ministers were shouting back and forth in a heated debate, while Bismarck sat with his arms crossed, deep in thought.

But I couldn’t shake the feeling that we didn’t have time for this leisurely nonsense. Something about these enemies felt on a whole different level, and unease crept over me.

“Prince Brad, where are you going!?”

“Do I have to report to you lot every time I go pick flowers? I’m the crown prince of this kingdom, you know.”

As I left my seat, the minister in charge of my education questioned me.

“Let him go.”

“But…”

“I permit it. Any objections?”

“None whatsoever…”

Like father, like son. Even the relatively rational Bismarck is harsh with subordinates who talk back… Anyway, thanks to Bismarck closing his eyes and reining in the minister, I managed to escape the tedious meeting.

Before the Palace Gates

“Omoneil, Sontak, Kobiul! I order you to defend the capital. If anything happens, follow the old man beard and fight to the end.”

“I want to go with Your Highness!”

“No way we’re letting His Highness go without me!”

“Boff… That’s cold, Your Highness! We’re supposed to die together…”

“Me, die? You fool! If you’ve got time to think like that, gather as many soldiers as you can.”

“P-Please forgive my rudeness…”

Kobiul, worried about me, let slip something careless. He was bowing so frantically like a pigeon that Omoneil and Sontak burst out laughing. I almost cracked up too.

“Tell the old man some vague excuse to cover for me.”

As I climbed into the carriage hastily prepared by the butler, I gave Omoneil and the others my orders. The three saluted me with a crisp “As you command.”

In my estimation, if Omoneil, Sontak, and Kobiul work together without bickering and face the enemies of this world, they’d be as strong as the Four Heavenly Kings under the demon lord combined. It’s hard to imagine them losing.

Unless they’re up against cheaters from another world…

More than subordinates, Omoneil and the others have become my comrades. The three of them stood at attention, saluting me until the carriage was out of sight.

I want to protect these interesting comrades!

The carriage raced down the highway. After passing the capital’s outskirts, the monotonous view of wheat fields got old, and I grew restless. Glancing around the carriage’s cabin, I noticed a large brown trunk.

“Someone’s pretty thoughtful.”

Thinking they packed spare clothes for me despite the rush, I opened the trunk.

I immediately regretted it.

Because the box wasn’t Pandora’s—it was stuffed with a yandere.

“Brad-sama! To think you’d try to leave on a journey without me is an unforgivable outrage. I want to be joined with Brad-sama at all times…”

The moment I opened it, my hand was grabbed, and I pulled in, receiving a deep kiss baptism from Freesia.

“W-What are you thinking…?”

I start to speak but stop myself. Because I know how Freesia will respond.

To bear Brad-sama’s child.

“To bear a hundred of Brad-sama’s children.”

Freesia’s answer was a hundred times beyond what I imagined, and all I could do was laugh.

“Enough, get out of there.”

“Thank you.”

If she turned the trunk into some kind of love nest, I might actually end up stuck joined with Freesia forever.

Freesia climbed out of the trunk, but I can’t help but worry about something else. No way, it can’t be… but the other trunk…

“Prince Brad, hurry up and open it! It’s dark and cramped, and I was terrified I’d be stuck in here forever!”

I put my hand to my forehead and look up.

“Where do you two think I’m going?! I’m…”

I start to say but stop, realizing it’s a bad idea.

“You were planning to sneak off with Onee-sama for a baby-making trip, weren’t you?! You pervert, you freak, you breeding maniac! Share a little with me too!”

Lily’s thought process is even crazier than Freesia’s…

Does she actually like being bred by a pervert?

I was exasperated by her incomprehensible fetish when Freesia pointed ahead and calls out. There were people collapsed on the road.

“Oh no! Brad-sama, Lily, may we help those people?”

“Even if I told you to stop, you’d do it anyway. Do what you want, you fool.”

“Thank you.”

It’s not like we could just ignore people collapsed in the middle of the highway.

We split up to check on the soldiers lying along the road, but there wasn’t a single visible injury…

—Snooze, snooze, snooze.

They just seemed to be sleeping. No, I can’t let my guard down yet. In Fortune Engage, there’s a vicious plant monster with a skill that puts people to sleep forever.

Its name? The Million Cedar!!!

Despite my concerns, Lily was mercilessly slapping a soldier’s cheek with a gaudy peacock feather fan.

“Hey, stop sleeping and get up!”

“Ugh… Huh!? Being woken by such a beautiful lady—am I in heaven!? Dying was worth it!”

“Quit joking and get out of the way! You’re blocking the road!”

“M-My apologies!”

“While you’re at it, go wake up your buddies too.”

The soldier Lily woke up saluted her and hurriedly started rousing the other sleeping soldiers.

What… It wasn’t the Million Cedar after all?

Just as I let out a sigh of relief, a familiar voice called from behind. I turned around.

“Huh? Why are Brad and Freesia together?”

What!?

Standing there, in a familiar blazer and pleated skirt, was a high school girl.

How the hell is Megumi here?!!