The Expelled Boy Does All Sorts of Things with the Onee-sans He Saved.

Chapter 040: I Spoke With The Grand Duke’s Daughter

The Grand Duke — Ferdinand XIV — was standing right in front of me.

During the audience, he had been quite far away, but seeing him up close, his dignity was overwhelming.

“You may stay as you are. After all, this is a private visit.”

“What about that robe?”

“It is an artifact passed down in our ducal house. It obstructs others’ recognition of the wearer.”

Is it really okay to use something like that for personal reasons…?

“Um, what about your work?”

“I left everything to Klaus.”

Now that he mentions it, Uncle Klaus isn’t here today. I feel bad knowing it’s because the Grand Duke dumped all his work on him. He must be furious.

“So then—”

No, no, that’s not okay. But the Grand Duke continued without concern.

“This is my third daughter, Charlotte = Ange = Nelba.”

At the Grand Duke’s introduction, the girl beside him — Charlotte-sama — curtsied gracefully. I hurriedly bowed my head as well.

“So, why are you here?”

“Hmm. Klaus mentioned there was a party at your house today. I had been thinking about letting my daughter meet you, so I thought this was the perfect opportunity.”

“I see…”

He seems like a very decisive person who follows through once he makes up his mind.

“Um, if you’re looking for a marriage partner for Charlotte-sama, someone from a ducal or count family would be much more suitable than someone like me.”

“Hmm, that would be the conventional choice. However, we can no longer ignore the power of the Belladonna family.”

The Grand Duke said seriously. But I don’t really feel it myself.

“Is that so?”

“Of course. Your mother and uncle essentially control the economy of this country. It would be strange for anyone to try to challenge them recklessly.”

“I see…”

Well, even I know the Belladonna Company handles a huge amount of work. And Uncle Klaus holds a very high position, so what the Grand Duke says is probably true.

“Besides, you yourself are already involved in this.”

“Eh?”

“Originally there was attention due to your connection with those two, but your magical talent and especially the acquisition of those three have dramatically increased the Belladonna family’s value.”

The Grand Duke spoke passionately. Meanwhile, Charlotte-sama was smiling happily beside him. Is this okay…?

“Is it really that significant?”

“Listen. Many people can use magic, but your aptitude is exceptional.”

Where did he hear that? The Grand Duke’s information network is terrifying.

“Furthermore, obtaining those three is a tremendous achievement.”

“Is that so?”

“Rosaria = Anna = Felville, excelling in all forms of strategy. Elena = Shell = Valois, outstanding in unit command, defense lines, and swordsmanship. And Urka = Zaspa = Reen, a one-woman army. Our country has obtained all three. Our military strength has skyrocketed.”

I didn’t know how to respond to the Grand Duke’s fervent speech. The content was certainly very important, but hearing it here felt strange.

“Father.”

Charlotte-sama spoke up.

“What is it, my daughter?”

“Isn’t that enough?”

Wow, there was clear anger in her voice.

“Well, that is—”

“It’s enough, right?”

Charlotte-sama pressed closer.

“But this is an important national matter—”

“This is a place for me to enjoy conversation with Alphonse-sama. Serious political talk should be done in your office at the castle.”

At Charlotte-sama’s signal, the maid named Ariel moved. In an instant, she lifted the Grand Duke.

What a scene… I couldn’t bear to watch the Grand Duke flailing while being carried.

“Charlotte!! Wait, please put me down!!”

“Father. A message from Lord Belladonna: ‘Please stop already!! Go do your work.’”

“N-no way…”

“Yes. You will be transferred directly to your office via magic.”

At Charlotte-sama’s command, Ariel activated the transfer magic and disappeared with the Grand Duke. Transfer magic is extremely advanced, so Ariel must be quite skilled.

“Now that the nuisance is gone, let’s talk.”

“Haah…”

Is it really okay to treat the Grand Duke as a nuisance…? Also, I somehow felt that the power dynamic in the Grand Duke’s family was similar to mine.

“Alphonse-sama, my father said you have considerable talent in magic. At what age did you begin studying it?”

“From around four years old.”

As if nothing had happened, Charlotte-sama smoothly started the conversation. I decided not to dwell on it and answered her questions.

“So early?”

“Yes. A passing mage told me I had talent and gave me a magic book.”

“A passing mage…”

I smiled wryly and nodded.

“Yes. Looking back, it was very suspicious.”

“What kind of person was he?”

“Let’s see… It was a man with a beard and a scar on his forehead.”

Charlotte-sama looked at me dubiously. Even I think it sounds suspicious after saying it out loud.

“Where is that book?”

“Here it is.”

I took the book out of my Extra-dimensional Storage.

“Is that also magic?”

“Yes, it’s spatial magic.”

“I believe spatial magic is quite high-tier…”

“Hahaha.”

I laughed and dodged the question.

“This book is quite old.”

“Yes. I didn’t think too deeply about it and just studied from it.”

Charlotte-sama flipped through the pages and then returned the book.

“Thank you. It was very interesting.”

“I’m glad.”

After that, we talked about many things — adventures, hobbies, and so on. We deepened our friendship by sharing about ourselves.

“It’s almost time.”

“Yes, it went by so quickly.”

“It was really fun!”

“Please come to an event I host next time.”

“Thank you.”

With that, she called Ariel again, and they left together using transfer magic.

“Master. It’s time for— Oh? What happened to the previous guests?”

“They went home.”

“I see… I shouldn’t have missed them.”

Since it was the Grand Duke and his daughter, saying they were here would cause a huge commotion. I decided to stay silent.

Now then, there’s still half left. What kind of people will I meet next?

Chapter 041: The Second Half with Onee-chan

After a short break, the second half began.

That said, nothing about what we were doing had changed.

However, perhaps because they had observed how things went in the first half, the parents no longer interrupted their children to speak over them. Instead, the children themselves spoke more often.

“Master. You’re next.”

Sophia’s voice called out. When I replied, “Okay,” the one who entered was—

“…………”

A quiet, taciturn girl. She had pale blue eyes and wore glasses. Her hair was chestnut brown and neatly cut short.

She entered the room silently and sat down on the sofa without saying a word.

“…………”

“Um…”

“Please don’t mind me. I’ll leave once the time is up.”

No, I do mind! What am I supposed to do here?

“By the way, what’s your name?”

“I’m Karen. Karen = Lud = Sforza.”

I believe the Sforza family is a count’s house. For someone from such a prominent family to come all the way here…

“I have no interest in marriage. I only came this time because my parents told me to.”

“I see…”

Hmm. There seem to be a lot of people like this. The only one who’s been this direct so far is probably Fiora.

“Yes, I didn’t want to come, but my friend told me it would be fine even if we just became friends.”

“By the way, how old are you?”

“I’m 10 years old.”

Is she really 10? She feels older. Maybe it’s because she’s a noble?

“Shall we talk about whatever?”

“Yes, gladly.”

“You said you’re not interested in marriage — may I ask why?”

When I asked, Karen replied:

“Because I’m a noble, I understand that I have to get married eventually. But even if you ask me what kind of person I want to marry, nothing really comes to mind.”

In this country, marriages among nobles are usually arranged through matchmaking. However, forced engagements are rare. It’s said that mutual consent is the most important thing, but since she’s from a count’s family, things might be more complicated for her.

“But then, why did you choose me?”

“It’s simple. You probably heard this from the previous candidates too, but my family wants to build a connection with your house. After all, you’re from the Belladonna family.”

So it’s the same everywhere. Can’t be helped, I suppose.

“You must have it tough too, with all sorts of things happening.”

“Hmm. That’s true, but it’s also fun.”

“Fun?”

Karen tilted her head when I said that.

“Yeah. Recently a lot of things have happened — there were painful moments too — but there were also wonderful things that made up for it.”

Karen looked stunned. I wonder what’s wrong.

“I’m sorry. I was just surprised. I’m very different from you.”

“Am I?”

“Yes. I was born into a count’s family and have lived every day according to what was decided for me. I couldn’t break free from that on my own… and at some point, I started wondering why I was even doing all this.”

“…………”

Even nobles have their own hardships. Then Karen said:

“Excuse me. I ended up complaining.”

“It’s fine. More importantly—”

She apologized very earnestly. She seems like a very serious person. I stood up and said:

“Karen, would you like to become friends with me?”

“With me?”

“Yes. Let’s become friends, spend time playing together, and figure things out along the way, okay?”

“But I…”

“Let’s take the first step. I’ll help you.”

I held out my hand to Karen. She looked hesitant for a moment, but then gave a small smile and took my hand.

“Is this really okay?”

“Yes. Let’s search for the things Karen likes together.”

“Okay.”

When the time was up, Karen left the room. The way she gave a small wave as she left was so cute that my heart skipped a beat.

Also, I heard Sophia quietly mutter, “This is dangerous.”

It’s not dangerous at all. She’s my new friend.

“Umm, Sophia. Is that everyone?”

“No, there are still two more.”

“I see.”

“And those two are…”

Sophia spoke in a troubled tone. I wondered what was wrong. Then there was a knock at the door.

“Come in.”

“Ah, Master!!”

Because I gave permission before Sophia could stop them, the door burst open energetically.

“Alright, Al!! Let’s talk!!”

“Sorry, Al.”

The ones who came in were Beatrix-san and Kei Onee-chan.

～～～～～～～～～～

“Um, isn’t the age for these marriage meetings supposed to be around the same as mine?”

Beatrix-san and Kei Onee-chan were now sitting across from me. This time Sophia stood behind me. Was she on guard?

“No such restriction on age was mentioned during the talks.”

“Even so, this seems pretty forceful…”

“Well, don’t worry about it.”

Don’t you two have any sense of restraint?

“You two waited until all the other candidates were done and then drew from the box, right?”

“We couldn’t exactly mix in with the children. That would be childish.”

You’re being plenty childish right now, though.

“Anyway, Al. Tell us about your two-year adventure.”

“I’m curious too~”

Prompted by the two of them, I told them about my two years of adventures. Since I rarely met Beatrix-san and mostly did magic training with Onee-chan, they both listened with smiles on their faces.

I also told them about being exiled and meeting Rosaria and the others.

Beatrix-san hugged me tightly while crying.

“It must have been so hard…”

Her embrace was gentler and more enveloping than when we were at the guild. It was warm, soft, and felt really nice.

“You worked hard, Al.”

Onee-chan also patted my head. It tickled, but it made me happy.

After that, Sophia prepared tea and snacks, and we continued chatting and laughing together.

Then, as the meeting was about to end,

“Sorry, Al. There’s something I want to ask Kei-dono.”

Beatrix-san looked at Kei Onee-chan.

“You’ve been told by the Duke’s family to get engaged to Al, right?”

“Eh?”

Those words instantly changed the cheerful atmosphere. Both Sophia and I looked at Onee-chan in surprise.

“……Where did you hear that?”

“Don’t underestimate my information network.”

Beatrix-san said it proudly. Onee-chan’s expression grew dark.

“Kei Onee-chan. Is that true?”

“……Yeah, it is, Al.”

Onee-chan answered with a weak smile.

“But why—”

“It’s simple. My foolish little brother is no longer useful. Father, who had been keeping me at arm’s length until now, came clinging to me.”

“And the conclusion was to marry you and Al?”

“Yeah. If I get engaged, we can reconnect with the Belladonna family again.”

So the Duke hasn’t given up yet.

“But in that case, who will inherit the Arbonne family?” Sophia asked.

“My brother has become difficult. He destroyed the business that Father treasured.”

“However, Master is the next head of the Belladonna family. If you become engaged to him, Master entering the Arbonne family as a son-in-law is something Lady Louisa would never allow.”

“Well, I don’t know the full details either, but Father might not have thought that far ahead. He was quite desperate.”

“The Arbonne house has really fallen. It was once the most renowned martial family in the entire Grand Duchy.”

“Exactly. You’re right.”

Onee-chan spoke with a sad look. This was the first time I had ever seen her look so depressed.

“Maybe the reason you came here was—”

“No, that’s not it. I came of my own will. I really did want to see you, Al.”

I couldn’t bear to look at her lonely smile. Then—

“Don’t let yourself get swept along, Al.”

“Beatrix-san.”

“This is her family’s problem. It’s not something you should get involved in.”

“But—”

I looked at Onee-chan. She gave a small smile.

“Thank you for worrying about me. But I’ll settle my own family matters myself.”

With that, Onee-chan stood up.

“But you know, Al.”

Just when I thought she was heading for the door, Onee-chan moved at a speed my eyes couldn’t follow, lifted me up, and said:

“I’ve wanted to marry you for a long time.”

“Eh?”

“So first, I’ll settle things at home. The real match starts after that.”

Onee-chan then looked at Sophia and Beatrix-san. Beatrix-san shrugged. Sophia stared at Onee-chan with a frustrated expression.

“See you later, Al.”

She gave me a quick kiss on the lips.

““Ahh!!””

While the two of them cried out, Onee-chan left the room.

Still stunned, I was then subjected to various things by Beatrix-san and Sophia afterward.

Chapter 042: Before the Parade

The next day.

Urka was sleeping next to me. Since that day, the four of them started taking turns sleeping with me.

That said, going all the way isn’t forced.

By the way, I did it with Urka. She probably held a grudge after seeing me with Sophia and Beatrix yesterday and all the things they did to me. Apparently, while I was occupied with the marriage meetings, quite a few noble men and merchants approached her. After it was over, she came to me and pressed me about it.

Ah, when I say “all the things they did,” I don’t mean we had sex, okay? It was just hugging and kissing. Beatrix-san kissed me too.

When I was leaving, she said,

“I’m ready anytime,”

which made Sophia do even more intense things afterward.

Come to think of it, I feel like I’m living quite a decadent life with these older girls. Is this really okay at my age? I should make sure I don’t end up like Dan.

“Good morning, Master.”

Mana-san entered the room. She was still wearing her miniskirt maid outfit, but she was clearly getting used to the job.

“Today is the day the envoy from Zelgon arrives.”

That’s right. Today was the day that Shuriman from Zelgon was coming. We were supposed to discuss how to respond to the Empire and the Holy Kingdom.

We had all promised to go watch the welcoming parade together.

After taking a bath, changing clothes, and heading to the dining room for breakfast—

“Good morning, Al. Is Urka still sleeping?”

“Good morning, Roze. She’s in the bath right now.”

“Haa… Does Urka have a habit of oversleeping?”

“Well, let’s be nice and overlook it.”

We were living new days that felt different from our previous daily life.

In the past, even when we chatted like this, it was only with family. During our adventurer party days, those moments had gradually decreased. I’ve thought this many times, but I really enjoy this kind of daily life.

A little later Urka arrived, and we all had breakfast together.

“You look like you’re having fun, Master.”

“Do I?”

“Yes, very much.”

Sophia herself also looked like she was enjoying it.

Now then, time to get ready and head out to watch the parade.

Just as I thought that, the doorbell at the entrance rang.

Sophia went to answer it. When she returned shortly after,

“Master…”

She had a slightly troubled expression. I wonder who it is.

“Excuse me.”

Huh? This person is…

“I am Isaac, Vice Commander of the Grand Duke’s Imperial Guard Knight Order.”

“I see…”

“His Grace the Grand Duke has invited the Belladonna family to the special seats for the parade. I have come to escort you.”

“Eh? But this is the first I’m hearing of it.”

“His Grace decided it this morning.”

“Ehhhhhh—”

How pushy. Is it really okay to use authority like that?

“Furthermore, Lady Rosaria and the others are state guests. His Grace would like them to attend as well.”

Hmm. When you put it that way…

“……Understood. Please wait while we prepare.”

I reluctantly nodded and began getting ready to go out.

～～～～～～～～～～

The Grand Duke said we didn’t need overly formal clothes, but we still dressed appropriately.

Elena wore light armor with a sword at her waist. Urka wore a blue short-sleeved coat and shorts. Roze was in black pants and a black short-sleeved coat. Sophia was in her usual maid uniform. Isn’t she hot in that?

I wore a white shirt and beige pants. Everyone said I looked “cute.” I would’ve preferred “cool.”

We took a carriage to the castle and met the Grand Duke there.

By the way, Mother and my uncle were with us. Uncle had terrible dark circles under his eyes. He must have worked a lot because of yesterday’s incident.

“Thank you for coming, Lord Belladonna.”

“Thank you for the invitation, Your Grace.”

Mother replied on our behalf. This time we weren’t in the formal audience chamber but in the Grand Duke’s private room.

At the table sat me, Mother, Roze, Elena, and Urka. Across from us were the Grand Duke, my uncle, Charlotte (whom we met yesterday), the Grand Duke’s wife Lady Angelica, and the eldest daughter Mafalda, who is the next successor. All of the Grand Duke’s children are daughters. Therefore, Mafalda will become the next Grand Duke. Next to her was the second daughter, Annetta.

The entire Grand Duke family was present. What a luxurious gathering.

“My husband caused you great inconvenience yesterday.”

Lady Angelica turned to me and apologized.

“N-No, it’s fine. I also enjoyed talking with Charlotte-sama.”

“Is that so? I’m glad to hear that. Charlotte was happily talking about you afterward.”

“M-Mother!!”

Charlotte’s face turned bright red. So cute.

“Fufu, sorry. As an apology for yesterday, we invited you to the special viewing seats for today’s parade.”

“Thank you very much.”

I bowed my head. Mother was watching me with a big smile.

“You have such a wonderful child.”

“Yes, he is my pride and joy.”

Perhaps because they were both mothers, the conversation between them was lively.

Meanwhile,

“So what was the intention behind the tactics used in that battle?”

“I crafted the plan taking the enemy general’s personality into account, but I never expected it to work that well.”

Mafalda was enthusiastically asking Roze, Elena, and Urka all sorts of questions. I think she’s around the same age as them. They seemed to be having a great time.

By the way, the Grand Duke was completely left out. Poor guy.

“By the way, Alphonse-sama. Would you like to watch the parade next to me?”

Charlotte made an outrageous suggestion.

“Someone like me — a mere merchant — watching beside a princess… that would be too great an honor.”

“I give my permission.”

Lady Angelica… why do you look so happy about this?

I could feel sharp stares from Roze and the others beside me.

“This is the first time Charlotte has shown interest in the opposite sex. Would you be willing to keep her company?”

Even the Grand Duke was pressuring me with his eyes, and Mother was silently urging me with her gaze to agree.

I had no choice.

“Understood. Please treat me well.”

The moment I said that, Charlotte’s face lit up with a bright smile. Lady Angelica and Annetta both said “I’m so glad” happily.

“What should we do?”

“We need to decide who gets the other seat next to him, right?”

“How do we decide?”

The three of them (Roze, Elena, and Urka) began discussing who would take the remaining seat beside me.

And so, I ended up watching the parade with the Grand Duke’s entire family.

Chapter 043: The Parade and the Attack

After that, we moved to the special seats.

Nearby were many nobles, who kept glancing in our direction.

“We’re being watched.”

“Hold your head high, Al-kun. Right now, they’re judging our caliber.”

Mother is amazing. She remains dignified even in a situation like this. Her dress is also incredibly beautiful.

Elena and the others seemed used to this as well and carried themselves with confidence. I was the only one who felt out of place.

“It’s alright, Master. Please just act naturally.”

Elena, who had secured the seat right next to me, said that, but what does “naturally” even mean?

Everyone took their seats.

The special seats were temporary platforms set up in front of the castle, at the endpoint of the main street where the parade would conclude.

The square had large images projected in the air by magic, allowing us to see everything clearly.

“I’m so excited!!”

Charlotte-sama smiled brightly beside me, but I was so nervous I felt like I might pass out.

I had never been in a place like this before, so I had no idea how to behave. My legs were trembling.

A little while later, light shone from the square. A massive magical formation had been deployed.

From it, many people appeared — the envoys from the northern superpower Zelgon.

The one at the front was…

“I’m surprised. It’s the Crown Prince of Zelgon.”

The Grand Duke let out a voice of astonishment. According to the prior information, no major figures other than Shuriman were supposed to come, so this was a shock.

The elderly man in red-and-black robes standing beside him was probably Shuriman. However, I felt like I had seen him somewhere before. I wasn’t sure why.

While I was lost in thought, the envoys boarded the luxurious carriages prepared for them and began proceeding down the main street.

Many people had gathered along the sides of the street to watch. There were even food stalls. I wanted to go check them out…

Confetti danced in the air, and the music corps’ performance echoed throughout the town.

It was truly a national event. The Crown Prince and the others waved from the windows of the carriages.

“Amazing…”

“Yes, it’s been a long time since I’ve seen one too.”

Charlotte-sama watched with deep emotion. Suddenly, she placed her hand on top of my right hand.

What should I do? How should I respond? Lady Angelica was looking at me with eyes full of expectation. Should I go along with it?

Just as I was troubled, I suddenly noticed a glint of light on top of a building along the street.

A bad feeling came over me. Thinking about it now, today the Grand Duke, many nobles, and even the Crown Prince of Zelgon were all gathered in one place. For countries that hated the Grand Duchy or Zelgon, this was the perfect opportunity for all the targets to assemble.

I hurriedly used body enhancement magic to strengthen my eyesight and focused on the source of the light.

“Alphonse-sama?”

Charlotte-sama looked puzzled, but this wasn’t the time for that.

What I saw was—

“That’s—!!”

No mistake. A person completely covered in a black cloak — face hidden — was drawing a bow. The target was Zelgon’s carriage.

“No!!”

I stood up and shouted. Everyone turned to me with surprised expressions.

The next instant, an explosion rang out from the direction of the main street.

～～～～～～～～～～

The cheers of the parade instantly turned into screams.

People fleeing in panic spilled onto the parade route.

Zelgon’s guards surrounded the carriages.

Figures in black attire emerged from the crowd and began fighting the guards.

“Protect the Grand Duke immediately!!”

Members of the Imperial Guard rushed into the seating area and began securing the perimeter, but—

“More importantly, help the people from Zelgon!!”

The Grand Duke raised his voice. That side was also critical. An incident like this could seriously damage future relations.

The Grand Duke quickly sent part of the unit over.

“Everyone, please evacuate to the castle.”

The Imperial Guards surrounded us and began guiding the Grand Duke’s group away.

“Roze, what’s the situation?”

I asked Roze, who was nearby.

“The explosion earlier caused the civilians to panic, and they blocked the carriages. That was probably the goal. Stationary targets are much easier to hit.”

So that was their aim.

I looked back at the spot where the black-clad figure had been. Fortunately, he was still there.

However, upon closer inspection, several similarly dressed people were also on the rooftops. They were launching attacks at the carriages.

I could use transfer magic to go there, but I’m not that skilled in close-quarters combat. Plus, in an emergency like this, accurate teleportation might be unstable.

In that case, Urka, who excels at both speed and close combat, would be…

“Urka!! I’ll show you the location — go catch them!!”

I asked Urka, but—

“…………”

“Urka?”

She was frozen in place.

“Hey!! What’s wrong!?”

“Urka!?”

“Again…”

“Eh?”

“You’re asking me to assassinate someone again?”

What does she mean by “again”? Could this be related to Urka’s past…?

“Urka, I’m not asking you to assassinate anyone.”

“I don’t want to anymore! I can’t keep doing things like this!!”

She wasn’t listening. Urka crouched down. Meanwhile, the nobles and Mother had begun evacuating. Another explosion sounded from the main street. Smoke was even reaching us.

The enemy wasn’t going to wait.

“Al-kun!! Hurry!!”

I heard Mother’s voice. But I—

“Urka.”

I hugged her tightly.

“Master…?”

“I’m sorry. This might be painful for you, but this is something only you can do. We need your speed and close combat ability to catch the culprit.”

I’m being unfair. My words might sound similar to the people who abandoned her in the past.

But there’s one decisive difference: I love Urka.

I’ll stay with her from now on, always. That’s all I can do, but I will definitely do it.

With that renewed determination, I made her a proposal.

“Urka, I’ll go there with you.”

“!!”

“No, Master!!”

“Yeah, just leave it to Urka—”

But I think this is the best choice. If I want to be different from those people, this is the only way. Instead of just watching from behind, I’ll go together with her. I believe this is right.

Roze and Elena tried desperately to stop me, but I wouldn’t back down.

“Please, Urka.”

After a moment, Urka stood up.

“…Understood. Let’s go.”

“Urka, you—!!”

Elena cried out in surprise.

“Master, please reconsider.”

“I’m sorry. But I think this is important for Urka and for this country… and for some reason, I feel like I have to go.”

My decision was firm. Upon hearing that, Sophia said:

“Understood. Then leave the protection detail to me.”

“Sophia…”

“Master has already made up his mind. In that case, I will protect you with everything I have.”