Chapter 48

Marie was in her room in the mansion.

She sat on the bed, worrying about herself.

In front of her was Leon.

He was chattering his teeth and trembling, his face pale.

"...So, you mean to say that you've forgotten something important until now?"

Marie, too scared to look at Leon's face, nodded.

"Hu... hu... hai"

Her voice was trembling, and she couldn't even speak properly.

There were several reasons why Marie feared Leon.

One was that she knew his personality.

She knew his rebellious spirit, which he showed when she tried to corner Anje using a reverse harem, and that he would act when he decided to.

While he was usually fine, once he made up his mind, Leon would act.

And the second, more important reason was that Leon had already experienced actual combat and had killed people.

Marie understood that this difference was significant.

He hesitated less.

His threshold for killing was lower.

(I'm going to be killed. I'm going to be killed by my own brother!)

And the third reason.

Marie was Leon's sister from his previous life.

She knew his limits and had always been careful not to cross them.

The reason was that he was terrifying when angry.

He was ruthless and would not hesitate to use any means to achieve his goals.

While he usually seemed lazy, she understood that he must not be angered.

His threshold for anger was very low.

He would forgive her to a certain extent, and Marie, in her previous life, had relied on this understanding.

But when she thought about what would happen if she crossed that line, she felt like she was about to collapse.

(Damn it. I can't collapse. Begging won't work. It will only make him angrier. I have to calmly state the facts and apologize. If I don't... I'll die!)

The sound of Leon walking around Marie's room could be heard.

He was pacing back and forth.

"If I had known earlier, I could have taken countermeasures. If your so-called prince hadn't acted so rashly, I wouldn't have lost Luxion, the ship, or Argants. Isn't that right?"

Marie, who was trembling, couldn't stop sweating.

"N-no, that's not true."

Her speech was slurred.

Marie was struggling to keep her consciousness from fading.

"...I'll decide your punishment later. Go to Blood's treatment first."

"Hai!"

Marie jumped off the bed, ran out of the room, and headed to Blood, who had only received emergency treatment.

But...

(What should I do? I'm finished!)

Marie, who had turned her greatest supporter and understanding person, Leon, into an enemy, was in a very tight spot.

◇

After confirming that Marie had left the room, I put my hand to my chin.

"Well, it's going to get busy from now on."

I also had to take care of Noel.

I decided to go home quickly and consult with her tomorrow.

◇

The next day.

The person I consulted at the academy was my homeroom teacher, Ms. Clemen.

She was wearing a shirt that looked like it might burst.

She had a more serious expression than usual, but her legs were crossed, and her hands were folded on her lap.

"...The second son of the Feveur family. He's one of the top troublemakers in the academy."

"There are other troublemakers?"

That was more surprising.

"Their directions are different, but still, it must have been tough for you, Leon."

Despite her appearance, Ms. Clemen was a kind teacher.

Many students consulted her, especially girls, while boys were more hesitant.

Why? Because they felt in danger.

"So, how can we get the airship back?"

"Yes."

The consultation was about how to retrieve the stolen item.

This was a bit of a problem.

We needed to make them want to bet Einhorn on a match.

And it had to be a match that seemed fair.

"To put it bluntly, it's impossible. He's from one of the six great noble families. Even if we prepare a reward, something as trivial as treasure won't satisfy him."

"Our side has one seriously injured person. What if we complain to the higher-ups?"

Ms. Clemen shook her head.

"They won't listen. After all, the one who participates in the council is the head of the Feveur family, Pierre's father. The other heads of the council may consider it as a political bargaining chip, but they won't take it seriously."

They were neglecting diplomatic issues.

The reason was the unbroken myth of victory in defensive battles—though limited to defensive battles, they had never lost.

Furthermore, it was also due to the complacency caused by the presence of the Holy Tree.

"Is there anything Pierre wants? It would be nice if there was something the six great noble families also wanted."

Ms. Clemen shrugged.

"It would have to be something legendary. A legendary weapon, or perhaps a gemstone produced by the Holy Tree?"

"Gemstone?"

"The Holy Tree bears fruit, and inside the fruit is a gemstone that contains concentrated magic. There aren't many, but airships constantly fly around the Holy Tree to search for them."

The island where the Holy Tree stands is a sacred area.

The gemstones belong to whoever retrieves them, and the six great noble families are fighting over them.

"Why do they want something when they can get infinite energy from the Holy Tree?"

"...Where did you hear that?"

Ms. Clemen's expression changed.

It seemed that Marie's knowledge was correct.

"Where? I don't know. So?"

When I asked for the continuation of the story, Ms. Clemen, seemingly giving up, returned to her explanation.

"The Holy Tree is off-limits. You can't take the fruit yourself. It's more accurate to say you can't take it. So, when you find a fruit that's about to fall, you wait in an airship. By the way, there's a legend that love will bloom if you obtain a gemstone together with your lover."

If lovers obtain a gemstone together, their love will last forever.

Hmm. I'm not interested.

"You don't seem interested."

"I have a fiancée."

"That's a shame."

What exactly did she mean by that? I was curious, but I didn't want to ask, so I decided to listen to other stories.

Obtaining a gemstone would take time.

There was competition, and it was difficult to get one.

As a foreign student, I had limited time.

I didn't have the time or tools to search for a gemstone.

"Then, what's next?"

"...There's only one thing the six great noble families are bloodthirsty for: 'Holy Tree saplings.'"

"Saplings?"

"Yes. But remember what I said earlier. The contents of the fruit that grows on the Holy Tree are gemstones, right? They are clumps of energy, not seeds. So, how do you think saplings are made?"

If seeds don't sprout, you can't get saplings in the first place.

Cutting branches and planting them... From Ms. Clemen's attitude, it seemed that wouldn't work.

"So, it's a legend."

"That's right. The six great noble families get whatever they want. If they can't, they provoke a war."

They have absolute confidence, defend, and win, obtaining wealth from the defeated as compensation.

...I'm starting to see the bigger picture.

"Saplings. I want to hear more about that."

"I only know the legend. If anyone knows more, it might be... Narcissus-kun?"

Narcissus "kun"?

◇

In the faculty room of the academy.

The name of the person given a private room was [Narcissus Carse Grange].

He was the third son of the current Grange family head, from one of the six great noble families.

Introduced by Ms. Clemen, I entered the faculty room and found a teacher sleeping on a sofa.

The man, in his late twenties, had gray hair styled in an all-back and a scruffy beard.

He seemed to be deeply engrossed in his research, and his classes were unpopular and often empty.

"Mr. Narcissus"

"Huh?"

Yawning, Mr. Narcissus woke up and tilted his head when he saw my face.

"...This isn't the bathroom."

"No, I have something to ask you."

"Me? Why?"

...He really didn't understand.

This teacher was one of the male targets to be approached.

An irresponsible delinquent teacher? Or a research fanatic, I guess.

"Actually, I want to hear a story. I'm a foreign student from Holfort, Leon."

Mr. Narcissus, who had jumped up, grabbed my hands.

Hey! This guy smells like alcohol.

"A foreign student from Holfort! I wanted to meet you too!"

"Really?"

"Wait for me. I'll get some tea—ah!"

Mr. Narcissus, who had hurriedly tried to prepare tea, tripped over a pile of books and was buried under a mountain of documents and books.

The room was quite messy, and there were many fallen book piles, suggesting this happened often.

"...Let's start with cleaning up, shall we?"

Mr. Narcissus, who had emerged from the pile of books, looked embarrassed in front of me.

"I'm sorry."

◇

While cleaning the room, we talked.

"You wanted to become friends with adventurers?"

"Yes. I prefer to go to the location and provide direct guidance. I want them to learn in the dungeon in real life."

It seemed to be his hobby as well, researching ancient things in dungeons.

He taught because it was convenient.

And the reason he couldn't become an adventurer was that he was from one of the six great noble families.

"I heard that in Holfort, even those from noble families can become adventurers."

"You can, but you have to. Everyone becomes an adventurer when they enter the academy."

"Regardless of gender? Really?"

He nodded, surprised.

"Everyone should be strong. The students who studied here before were also exceptionally good in physical education."

The Republic of Alzer, which accepted foreign students.

However, the number of foreign students was very small.

This was why there was a lack of mutual knowledge.

"So, let's talk about my issue."

"The sapling of the Holy Tree? It's a legend, but there have been several reports of its discovery."

In the history of the Republic, saplings had been discovered, and I tilted my head.

"Then, why is it a legend?"

"The answer is simple. They didn't take root in the ground."

They withered whether they were found or left alone.

There weren't enough to study.

The Republic of Alzer apparently wanted to secure the sapling of the Holy Tree at all costs.

"The Holy Tree is alive. Naturally, it will wither at some point. Before that happens, the Republic wants to secure a sapling and get a new Holy Tree."

A plan for a hundred or two hundred years from now.

However, there was one point that caught my attention.

"I understand it's important, but it doesn't seem like they would want it immediately."

It didn't seem like the nobles wanted it so badly that they would do anything for it.

Mr. Narcissus seemed to want to say something but swallowed his words.

There was a reason to want it, but he couldn't tell me.

"So, where is the sapling?"

"The examples of sapling discoveries have been reported in dungeons all over the continent. Even if it hasn't been discovered yet, I think there's a possibility in any dungeon."

Anywhere?

When I showed my concern, Mr. Narcissus answered.

"The dungeons in Alzer are all connected to the Holy Tree. The roots are deeply embedded in the ground. You could say everything is connected to the Holy Tree."

"What a mysterious country."

"Is it? It's normal in Alzer, so you might not notice. But why do you want a sapling of the Holy Tree?"

I mentioned Pierre's name.

When I explained, Mr. Narcissus put his hand to his forehead.

"...As a fellow member of the six great noble families, I feel sorry for you."

"Then, please help me."

Mr. Narcissus shook his head.

"You might not understand, but the six great noble families are not under one nation. They are a collection of nations."

So, complaining to the Feveur family would be considered interference in internal affairs?

The Feveur family was a separate nation... with various intentions.

I heard something interesting.

"Does that mean you won't support Pierre?"

Mr. Narcissus was smiling.

"That's right. I can give him a warning, but he won't listen."

"Is he that bad?"

Mr. Narcissus, smiling wryly, began to talk about Pierre.

"Not bad, but... he does as he pleases."

It seemed his evaluation at the academy was low.

I gradually began to formulate a plan in my head.