The Expelled Boy Does All Sorts of Things with the Onee-sans He Saved. - Chapter 104 & 105 & 106 & 107
Chapter 104: Let’s Decide the Order
“Melissa? It’s me. I’m coming in.”
“Please do.”
The day after I spoke with Mother, we decided to have one day just to decide the order, since it was too sudden to start immediately. Before that, Melissa said she wanted to thank me, so I went to meet her.
After all the chaos, I finally had the chance to talk with her properly.
When I entered the room, Melissa was wearing a maid uniform. Since it’s hot here, the uniform was a shorter, cooler version.
“Master, this way please.”
Sophia pulled out a chair and urged me to sit. I tried to refuse, but she insisted, so I sat down obediently.
“Thank you very much for saving me this time.”
Melissa bowed deeply.
“I-It’s fine. I did it because of my own selfishness.”
“Even so, if you hadn’t, my life would have ended there.”
She continued speaking without raising her head. I looked at Sophia, troubled. Sophia said,
“Melissa. You’re making Master uncomfortable. Raise your head.”
“Yes, Head Maid.”
Only after Sophia’s instruction did Melissa finally lift her head.
“Um, you don’t have to be so formal, okay?”
“…Understood.”
She still looked troubled. Hmm, what should I do?
“Melissa. Even as a maid, it’s important to act according to your own will. Please learn to do that from now on.”
“Yes… I understand.”
I wonder what kind of life she led in that country… I can’t ask right now, but someday…
“By the way, you can speak Rouge, right?”
“Yes. I can speak most languages.”
“I wasn’t confident I could teach you from scratch either.”
When Sophia joked, Melissa made a troubled face.
“Sophia, she’s troubled.”
“My apologies. I couldn’t help myself.”
Since she’s the Vice Head Maid, she must be happy to finally have a subordinate.
“How is Melissa’s skill as a maid?”
“Yes. She’s not perfect yet, but her fundamentals are solid.”
I hope she works hard from now on. Then Melissa asked a question herself.
“Um…”
“What is it?”
“Master… aren’t you going to ask?”
“Ask what?”
“About my past.”
“Hmm. Do you want me to ask?”
Melissa looked at me in surprise.
“You should know that I was part of Bandros’ former intelligence unit. Yet you don’t suspect me?”
“Well, normally people would.”
“Normally…?”
“I don’t.”
Melissa’s eyes widened.
“First of all, you are wearing a slave collar. You cannot harm Master.”
Sophia answered in my place.
“And if you were to try…”
Sophia took out her black twin swords.
“I would kill you faster than you could kill Master.”
She said it in a threatening tone.
“Well, Sophia is like this, so I feel safe. And besides…”
“Besides?”
“I believe in you.”
Melissa gasped.
“W-Why…?”
It’s understandable that she would doubt it.
“Merchants value their own eyes. I trust my own judgment. That’s why.”
Melissa still looked like she couldn’t fully accept it.
“You’ll understand through our life together from now on. So, please take care of me.”
I stood up to leave the room.
“Ah, right.”
I remembered something before leaving.
“Starting tomorrow, I’ll be going on dates with everyone one by one. Melissa, you’re participating too, of course.”
“Eh?”
“We’ll decide the order tonight, so you should join us.”
“But I’m…”
“It’s an order from the Head Maid.”
Sophia said forcefully. Melissa reluctantly nodded.
～～～～～～～～～
That night.
“Alright, let’s decide, shall we?”
Mother was the moderator. However…
“…Why are you here?”
“Why not? Let me participate too.”
“No way. I will never allow you!!”
Mother rarely raised her voice like this.
“Why not!?”
“Don’t you have things to do?”
“I’m not in a hurry.”
“Haa?”
“Even if I search, I won’t find him, so I can only let things flow naturally.”
“…Still no.”
“Why!?”
“You 700-year-old hag should stay out of this!!”
“That’s cruel!!”
What is this comedy sketch…? I think Hödeliefe-san and Mother are actually quite close. Though Mother would probably deny it.
“Now now, let’s decide quickly.”
Rosaria stepped in, unable to watch any longer.
Mother cleared her throat awkwardly.
“So, how should we decide?”
“Um, before that…”
“What is it, Maria-san?”
Maria-san hesitantly raised her hand.
“Is it really okay for me and Artemisia to participate as well?”
“Do you dislike the idea?”
Maria looked at me and said,
“It’s not that… It’s just that our relationship isn’t that deep yet…”
“That’s exactly why this is a chance to deepen it.”
“But…”
“Maria, is there something bothering you?”
Elena asked, sensing her anxiety.
“…No. I understand. I will participate.”
She seemed to have something on her mind, but she agreed to join. Then—
“In that case, I will decline.”
Caterina-san said.
“Oh? Why?”
“I came here as Princess Charlotte’s escort. I have the shallowest relationship with him. I should yield my time to the others—”
“Is that so? But during your absence, Elena-san and Artemisia-san can guard her.”
“I cannot abandon my duty here.”
“But—”
Mother beckoned Caterina over. After a moment…
“Wha!?”
I don’t know what Mother whispered, but Caterina’s face turned bright red. It must have been something she really didn’t want known.
“Isn’t it important to at least show that you’re participating?”
“Uuu…”
After a while, Caterina reluctantly said she would participate. I wonder what Mother said to her.
“Now then, who should go first?”
When Mother asked, Rosaria, Elena, Urka, and Sophia all raised their hands at once.
“Haa?”
“Eh?”
“Yes?”
“……”
The four of them looked at each other.
“Sophia. You’re always glued to Al, aren’t you?”
“Rosaria-sama, you always sit next to him at meals!”
“That’s fine, isn’t it?”
“Urka, you’re always clinging to Master!”
“Elena is glued to him too.”
Sparks were flying. Charlotte-sama and the others looked scared. Unable to watch, Mother clapped her hands.
“I’ll disqualify all of you?”
““““Ugh!””””
Mother made a scary face. The four of them quickly realized they messed up.
““““We’re sorry.””””
“I understand how you feel about Al, but fighting over it is not good.”
That’s right. I don’t want that either.
(By the way, why am I sitting on this luxurious chair like some kind of prize? And I’m not allowed to speak… How sad.)
“How about we just draw lots?”
Hödeliefe-san suggested.
“Why are you…”
“My my? It’s not good if you decide it yourself. Let’s decide the order fairly, okay?”
Mother looked like she had been hit where it hurt.
“Then here, these are the lots.”
Grandma brought out the lottery sticks as if she had prepared them from the beginning. As expected of Grandma.
“Here, everyone take one!!”
Each bamboo stick had a number on it.
“““““Ready—!!”””””
Everyone drew at the same time.
And so, the order for the dates starting tomorrow was decided.
It finally begins tomorrow… I wonder what will happen?
Chapter 105: Dates with Everyone ①
And so, starting today, I’ll be going on dates with everyone.
Since there are many girls, we’re splitting it into morning and afternoon sessions.
The girls themselves are the ones planning the dates.
It would be difficult for me to come up with completely different plans for everyone, so it’s better this way — letting them choose where they want to go.
On the first day, I waited at the entrance of the villa. I was wearing a blue short-sleeve shirt and brown shorts. It was 7:00 AM and the weather was clear and sunny. Since it was still early, it felt pleasantly cool.
“Al!!”
The door opened and Rosaria came out.
“Did you wait long?”
“Nope. Not at all!!”
Rosaria was wearing a tank top, short pants, and a wide-brimmed hat. Her tanned skin looked beautiful and healthy, though it was a bit stimulating. Oh, she’s wearing the earrings I gave her. That makes me happy.
“Do they suit me?”
“Yeah!! They look really good on you.”
“I-I see… ehehe.”
The gap between her usual cool demeanor and that cute laugh makes my heart skip a beat.
“We don’t have much time, so let’s go!!”
“Yeah!! Where are we going?”
“Just look forward to it.”
Rosaria took my hand and led me toward our destination.
～～～～～～～
After leaving the villa and walking for a while, I asked Rosaria where we were headed today.
“The morning market?”
“Yeah. When I was in the Empire, I used to go whenever I had free time. There are things you can only buy there, so it’s pretty interesting.”
She pulled me along as we headed toward Carpa = Le = Formido Square in the center of the city.
“Meldina told me it was open, so I thought it would be perfect timing.”
“By the way, Rosaria, you’ve started calling Grandma by her first name.”
“Ah, yeah… Well, she officially approved our marriage with you, so she told me I don’t have to be so formal anymore.”
“I see. Sorry about Grandma…”
“Don’t worry about it. I could tell she really cares about you.”
“Yeah. She’s a good person.”
While talking about Grandma, we arrived at the square.
“Waaah!!”
“Pretty amazing, right? These are all independent stalls run by people who aren’t part of any chamber of commerce.”
It was my first time here. The place was incredibly lively. Fruits, fish, spices — all kinds of things were being sold.
“This is incredible~”
“Should we buy some stuff for lunch?”
We walked through the morning market. As we moved through the crowd, many people turned to look at us. Of course, they weren’t looking at me — they were looking at Rosaria. A tall, beautiful tanned woman naturally draws attention from both men and women.
Some guys even called out:
“Hey, miss. How about after this?”
“Wanna hang out for a bit?”
It was morning pick-up attempts. But…
“Sorry, I’m with someone.”
“Haha, just give that kid some candy and ditch him!!”
Muu… I may be a kid, but that’s still rude.
“You better knock it off.”
Oh, Rosaria is getting angry.
“Come on, don’t get so mad. Let’s talk over there—”
Just as one of the men tried to put his hand on Rosaria’s back, she grabbed it and threw him with one hand.
“Eh?”
The other guy stood there stunned. Rosaria glanced at the man’s crotch, snorted with a mocking laugh, and said,
“So small.”
Then she took my hand and walked away. I heard a thud behind us, but we ignored it.
“How did you do that just now?”
“Hm? It’s just an application of force. Even a strategist needs to be able to fight up close, or she’ll get killed if ambushed.”
She winked as she said it. So cool!!
“Rosaria, you’re amazing. I’m good with magic, but I’m hopeless at close combat.”
“I can’t use magic as well as you. You can just learn it from now on. You have plenty of good examples at home, right?”
“Yeah, that’s true.”
That’s right. I’ll work hard from now on. I also want to grow taller…
“Alright, let’s go. There’s a place where we can eat too.”
We continued exploring the morning market together.
“Hey, what’s this?”
“That’s cumin. It’s a type of spice.”
“What about this?”
“That’s star anise.”
“You know a lot, Rosaria.”
“Knowledge is power. If you’re going to handle spices in the future, you should memorize them.”
At another stall:
“Wow!! This fish!!”
“What’s that slimy one?”
“That’s Capitole!! It’s a famous fish in Nelba!!”
“Heh, first time I’ve seen it.”
“Wanna try eating it?”
“Hmm… sure, let’s try.”
“Ma’am, we’ll take this!!”
“Here you go!!”
I bought it and stored it in my Extra-dimensional Storage. This should be fine.
“That’s convenient.”
“We’re going to keep shopping, right? That’s why.”
We continued visiting various stalls.
“Hey ladies, wanna eat something?”
A female shopkeeper called out to us and invited us into a bakery stall in the market. When she saw me holding Rosaria’s hand, she said:
“Aww, how cute!! Is he your son?”
Ugh!! I’m not…
“No, he’s not.”
“Oh, sorry. He’s your little brother then?”
That one hurt… I tried to argue, but the shopkeeper had already gone back inside.
“Sigh…”
“Don’t mind it.”
We sat down and waited for our food. After a while…
“Here you go.”
What came out was a long bread roll stuffed with fried fish, leafy vegetables, tomato, and sauce.
“Eating stuff like this is part of the fun.”
Rosaria picked it up and took a big bite.
“Mmm. Delicious.”
I followed her example and took a large bite. The fluffy fried fish and the acidity of the tomato were perfect. The sauce had just the right amount of saltiness that tied everything together.
“You’ve got sauce on your mouth.”
While I was eating, Rosaria smiled and wiped the sauce off with her finger. Then she…
“Mmm. Tasty ❤”
…licked it off seductively. It was incredibly erotic and attractive. My face turned red.
“Fufu, what’s wrong?”
“…That’s…”
I instinctively looked away.
“Hey, check please.”
While I was distracted, Rosaria paid the bill.
“Al. Over here.”
She pulled me into an alley behind the market.
“Al, you were excited, weren’t you?”
“But here…”
“It’s fine. No one comes here right now. Also, can you put up a barrier with magic?”
“…I can, but…”
“Nice.”
“Is it really okay?”
“I got a little excited by how cute you are too.”
When Rosaria nodded, I quickly put up a barrier.
“We don’t have much time, so let’s make it quick, okay?”
She kissed me passionately.
“N ❤ Chu… Al ❤”
“Rosaria… chu… mmm.”
Our tongues intertwined wetly.
“This is our first time alone together, huh.”
“Is it okay to do it in a place like this?”
“Of course. As long as I’m with you.”
Rosaria opened the front of my pants and invited me in.
“Al ❤”
I couldn’t hold back. I pulled down my pants and thrust inside her.
“Haaaaah ❤”
Rosaria was already wet, so I slid in smoothly. Wet sounds echoed in the alley.
“Rosaria!! Rosaria!!”
“Al ❤ I love you ❤”
“I love you too!! So marry me!!”
“!! ❤!!”
The moment I said that, Rosaria’s insides tightened around me.
“I will ❤ Absolutely I will ❤”
“It’s a promise!? You have to!!”
“I’ll keep it ❤ I won’t cheat. I couldn’t even if I wanted to!!”
“Rosaria is mine!!”
I moved my hips faster.
“Oh!? It’s so strong!! Too strong ❤!!”
“Rosaria!! I’m already…!!”
“Cum inside ❤!!”
“Ugh, I’m cumming!!”
“Go ahead ❤ Al!!”
I pushed deep into her and released everything.
“Cumming!!”
Dopyuuuuuuu!!
“Ooooooh ❤ Oooooooooh ❤!!”
I poured everything into Rosaria’s womb.
“Haa… haa…”
“Al ❤”
After we finished, we naturally kissed again.
“Seriously, you always cum inside. What if I get pregnant?”
“Ugh… sorry?”
“Fufu, it’s fine. I’m making sure it doesn’t happen.”
“Really?”
“Yeah. But when the time comes…”
Rosaria hugged me tightly.
“…you can do it then, okay?”
My heart pounded loudly.
“Come on, let’s go back quickly!!”
We quickly fixed our clothes and returned to the villa.
～～～～～～～～～～～
Rosaria Side
Even after returning to the villa, I couldn’t stop grinning.
Fufu, my date with Al. It was short, but it was really fun~
While Al was resting before his afternoon date, I returned to my room. On the way—
“Rosaria!!”
Elena suddenly stormed over. Behind her were Urka, Sophia, and even that witch Hödeliefe.
“What?”
“Did you… do lewd things with Master?”
“Aaah…”
I instinctively looked away.
“I knew it!”
“Unfair!!”
“Rosaria!!”
“My my~”
“…How did you know?”
“It’s obvious from the smell!!”
Crap. I forgot about that.
“It’s fine, isn’t it? We’re free to do what we want. You guys can do it too.”
“Wha!?”
Elena turned bright red. She’s done it plenty of times but acts all serious at times like this.
“Well, I had fun. See ya.”
I quickly escaped.
Honestly, I think it’s fine for everyone except the witches. The witches are dangerous though — I’ll have to keep an eye on them when that happens.
Chapter 106: Dates with Everyone ②
“I wonder who’s in the afternoon?”
I was waiting at the entrance. I hadn’t been told who it was, but Mother had said:
“Al dear. Please wear this♪ It’s a request from your date partner!!”
So I was dressed in a formal shirt, pants, necktie, and vest — the kind I’d wear to a party. A carriage was already waiting at the entrance. Are we going somewhere far?
“Alphonse-sama. Sorry to keep you waiting.”
Maria-san came out. So my afternoon date was with Maria-san.
She was wearing a dress. It had very few frills, making her figure stand out clearly, but it was modest with almost no skin exposure.
“Um… how do I look?”
“Ah, yes!! It looks really good on you!!”
“Fufu, thank you!!”
While we were talking at the entrance,
“Master.”
Elena and Artemisia came out as well.
“What’s wrong?”
“Please take good care of Maria.”
They must be worried about her.
“Elena. I’ll be fine.”
“Maria. Maybe we should still accompany—”
“That wouldn’t be a date then, would it?”
That’s true, but I also understand how Elena feels.
“I’ll protect her with magic, so it’ll be okay!!”
“Master…”
“I can’t cause trouble for Alphonse-sama…”
Hmm, what should we do? Then Maria said,
“I can also cast a Guardian Barrier. Let’s use that while we’re moving.”
Elena still looked hesitant.
“But Maria…”
“Elena, do you not trust me?”
“It’s because you were too trusting that things ended up like that before, right?”
“Uuu…”
She couldn’t argue back.
“Elena. I understand you’re worried, but Maria and I can both put up barriers together. Unless it’s a grand-scale magic attack, it should be fine, right?”
“…Is that so?”
Even Artemisia looked concerned. When the conversation started getting stuck, Mother suddenly appeared from behind.
“Are you trying to ruin Maria’s long-awaited enjoyment?”
“Lady Louisa, that’s not what I…”
“That’s exactly what it looks like. It’ll be fine, so trust me this time.”
“…Understood.”
“Master. Please take care of Maria.”
Sigh… We’re just going out for a bit, but the atmosphere is so heavy. Well, she used to be the highest authority in another country, so it makes sense they’d be cautious.
“Come on, let’s go!!”
“Y-Yes!!”
After all that, we got into the carriage and left the villa.
～～～～～～～～～～～
Inside the swaying carriage, I asked Maria:
“By the way, where are we going?”
“To the theater. Nelba is the home of opera, so I’ve always wanted to see a live performance!!”
Maria was unusually excited. Nelba is one of the leading countries in the arts on this continent. Many artists exile themselves here for music, painting, and sculpture. Filazza in the north is the center for painters, where they receive patronage from the wealthy. The Belladonna Chamber of Commerce is one of the sponsors. In the south, theater and music are more prominent, so many theaters are located here.
“There’s the Erempis Theater in Amalfi too.”
“Yes! I really want to see a live opera there!!”
I see. I haven’t watched many performances either, so this is a great opportunity.
“…Do you dislike it?”
“No, I’ve wanted to see one too since I don’t watch them often.”
When I said that, Maria smiled brightly.
“I’m glad!!”
It wasn’t her usual gentle smile — it was a radiant, sparkling one. Seeing her like that made me happy too.
～～～～～～～～～～～
We arrived at the theater. While we kept our guard up by maintaining magic barriers and chatting happily, there was no attack during the trip. We’ll have to stay alert on the way back too.
As we got off the carriage and looked around, many people dressed similarly to us were entering the building. The architecture looked like an ancient stone temple.
“Waaah!!”
Maria let out an amazed voice as soon as we stepped down.
“Are you excited?”
“Yes! I can’t wait!!”
We climbed the stairs toward the theater entrance.
“By the way, how do we get in?”
“Lady Louisa gave us tickets. We should be fine if we show these.”
I see. Mother must have arranged everything. Thank you.
When we reached the entrance:
“Excuse me, may I see your tickets?”
“Here you are.”
The moment Maria showed the tickets, the staff member’s eyes widened.
“!! Please wait a moment!!”
He hurriedly went inside. While we were tilting our heads in confusion—
“S-Sorry to keep you waiting! Lady Maria, Lord Alphonse. I am the manager of this theater.”
The manager came running, out of breath.
“Welcome! Welcome!!”
“Um, we’re not really that special compared to the other nobles…”
“What are you saying!? We cannot possibly treat the next head of the Belladonna family — who contributed greatly to the construction of this theater — and the former Pope so casually. Please, this way. We have prepared a special VIP box for you.”
We were (practically forced to be) guided into what looked like a private room. It had a perfect front view of the stage with no obstructing pillars. There were two plush chairs and a table with sweets and sandwiches prepared. Being a private box, we wouldn’t be seen by others.
“Please enjoy your time.”
The manager and even the kitchen staff bowed deeply before leaving.
“Umm…”
“I’m sorry.”
“No, I was just surprised. The Belladonna family really is amazing.”
“Well, you’re pretty amazing yourself, Maria-san.”
We looked at each other and chuckled softly.
“Shall we sit?”
“Ah, please wait a moment.”
Maria stopped me.
“I’m not doubting anything, but just to be sure…”
She held her hand over the food and drinks and cast:
『Appraisal』
A faint light came from her hand. After a moment…
“Yes, it’s safe.”
“You can use Appraisal too?”
“Yes. Elena warned me, so I made sure…”
After confirming it was safe, we sat down.
The opera was a love story between a queen and a merchant. It felt a little similar to my relationship with Maria. The story begins with the queen, tired of being manipulated by nobles, sneaking out of the castle one summer night. She ends up at the home of a young merchant heir. She hides her identity, he accepts her despite knowing who she is, they grow closer, and then face difficulties such as assassins.
While watching the opera, Maria gently placed her hand on mine. Before I knew it, we were holding hands.
When the opera ended, we reluctantly let go of each other’s hands and applauded.
“…It was wonderful.”
“Yes. I was deeply moved.”
When our eyes met, we both became embarrassed. Still savoring the afterglow, we left the theater. Fortunately, nothing happened on the way back either. I’m glad my worries were unfounded.
“…I had a great time.”
“Me too.”
“Let’s go together again sometime?”
“Yes, definitely!!”
Seeing her answer with such a bright smile, I thought she was truly beautiful.
～～～～～～～～～～～
Maria Side
When we returned to Lady Meldina’s mansion, I went straight to my room and flopped onto the bed.
The afterglow from earlier still lingered.
It was my first opera. The story overlapped so much with me and Alphonse-sama…
I naturally placed my hand over his.
My face burned red.
W-What a shameless thing I did…!
“Maria!!”
“Lady Maria!!”
Elena and Artemisia were at the door.
Oh no. I quickly fixed my appearance and opened the door.
“What’s the matter?”
“Did anything happen?”
“No, Artemisia. I’m fine.”
“Hm? Maria, your face is red?”
Elena pointed it out, so I instinctively touched my cheeks.
“Ah, um…”
“Did something happen with Master?”
“Nothing at all! Good night!!”
I forcefully pushed the two out of the room.
“What’s gotten into me…?”
I can’t stop thinking about his smile at the end of the opera.
He’s still such a young boy… Why does my heart race like this?
Was I influenced by the story? Or is it because of what I saw that night…?
That day, I spent a restless, sleepless night.
Chapter 107: Idle Talk: Conversation with Meldina
Charlotte Side
“Then, thank you for having us, Lady Meldina.”
We — Charlotte, Lana, Karen, and Fiora — were called by Lady Meldina and entered the room together.
The other party was the former head of the Belladonna family. The aura she emitted as a pioneer who extended her trading network across the world was heavy, even though I tried to remain calm. The other three were so nervous their hands were shaking.
“Lady Meldina. To put it simply, we are friends.”
“I see. But your families want you to marry Al dear, correct?”
“Yes… that is probably the case.”
For the sake of the others, I tried to take the lead here…
“…I understand. Lady Charlotte. Please continue to be a g(・)o(・)o(・)d(・) f(・)r(・)i(・)e(・)n(・)d to Al dear.”
“…Eh?”
“You said you’re friends, right? Then let’s leave it at that.”
“Eh? Wait a moment—”
“It’s fine. You may leave now.”
“Um… that’s…”
“My? Why are you hesitating?”
I understood. She was testing us. I clenched my sweaty hands tightly.
Just as I was about to speak, Lady Meldina turned to Lana instead, as if I wasn’t even there.
“You are Lana = Vila = Bern, correct? What do you personally think?”
“Y-Yes!!”
Lana’s voice cracked from nervousness.
“I haven’t known Alphonse-sama for very long.”
Lana spoke haltingly.
“Nobles usually have arranged marriages. That’s what my mother told me. However…”
I was surprised. Lana looked straight at Lady Meldina and continued.
“Alphonse-sama has given us this opportunity to truly get to know each other. Even if it was arranged by our parents, if we have time to understand one another, I want to make the most of it.”
“Even if it might end with just being friends?”
“I don’t know. But please give me time! As a man, I think I might be attracted to Alphonse-sama. I want to find out for sure!!”
Lady Meldina said “I see” and gently stroked Lana’s head.
I felt foolish. Because there were already women by Alphonse-sama’s side and because we were in front of Lady Meldina, I had been holding myself back.
“Fiora-san. What about you?”
“…………”
Fiora remained silent.
“Fiora-san?”
“I dislike political marriages. I met him only because my parents are in financial trouble and told me to marry him. I joined this trip because my father told me to build a good relationship with him.”
Fiora spoke honestly.
“So with Al dear…”
“I hate arranged meetings and political marriages. I want to choose my own partner.”
“In other words?”
“Right now, I cannot clearly say what my feelings toward him are. I think during this trip I will come to understand my own heart.”
So Fiora had her own proper thoughts when she joined this trip.
“Haa, I understand. Then, Karen-san.”
“Right now, we are friends.”
She answered immediately.
“Right now?”
“Yes. Right now. When he gave me a present, I felt an emotion I didn’t understand. He became my friend. I have no interest in marriage. I prefer reading books. I only came on this trip because my parents told me to, just like Fiora.”
“I see. Then there’s no—”
“But.”
Karen interrupted Lady Meldina. It was rude, but I felt she had something she really wanted to say.
“He was different from the men I know, even if only slightly. He’s different from the other noble boys my age. I want to keep watching him a little longer!!”
I felt pathetic. These girls had come here with their own thoughts and feelings. I had simply joined because it seemed fun.
Was that really okay?
“I understand all of you. Then—”
“Please wait!!”
I surprised even myself with how loud my voice was.
“What is it? You said you’re just friends, didn’t you?”
“…………”
Tears threatened to spill. I held them back and looked straight at Lady Meldina.
“At first, it was admiration. For him, who could use magic and stood far above someone like me.”
Yes, he had been dazzling. The way he skillfully wielded magic.
“I was envious of him. That’s why I wanted to become his friend.”
Lady Meldina didn’t interrupt. She simply listened quietly.
“Before this trip, when I overheard Lady Louisa and Father talking about marriage, my heart started racing. I don’t really understand romance yet. But I can say this clearly: I want to spend more time with Alphonse-sama. This is something I will not yield!!”
I said it with all my strength. Before I knew it, Lana was holding my hand.
“Fufu.”
Suddenly, Lady Meldina laughed.
“What is it?”
“Nothing. You finally became honest. It was a bit of tough love, though.”
“You saw through us?”
“Who do you think I am? I’m a merchant. I have confidence in my ability to read people.”
I thought — I can’t win against this person.
“Well then, I’ll be going.”
Lady Meldina stood up and quickly left the room.
After she left, we all collapsed onto the sofa as if the tension had drained out of us. Then—
“Uuu…”
Fiora suddenly began to cry. She had been so dignified earlier; she must have been holding it in so much.
Lana, Karen, and I hugged each other and cried together.
It felt like the distance between us had suddenly become much closer.
Comments for chapter "Chapter 104 & 105 & 106 & 107"
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