Chapter 74

The Raulut family.

Alberk, the head of the family, serves as the vice-chairman of the republic. He has many worries due to his son, Serge, who is a problem child.

"Serge, did you leave the mansion without even reflecting on your actions?!"

Alberk, who received a report from the butler in the mansion, was yelling at Serge, who was sitting on the sofa.

Serge, who inserted his fingers into his ears and looked dissatisfied, was not listening to Alberk properly.

Moreover—

"Can you lecture me? You let the kingdom's people do as they please."

Alberk, who was hit where it hurt, closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

"I understand what you want to say. However, don't go after that man. I had Leon Fou Bartalford investigated again, and he is dangerous. Besides, this is also an opportunity. The republic should not turn inward and fight—"

Serge, who was not interested in Alberk's talk, turned to Ideal.

"What's your opinion?"

Alberk looked at the blue sphere.

(Serge must have found a Lost Item. He says it has the power to counter the kingdom's Leon, but I wonder how strong it really is.)

Ideal's red single eye was directed at Serge.

"I can't tell until I talk to him. It's interesting that he has an artificial intelligence like me. I would like to meet him."

Serge agreed.

"Sounds good. I was curious too. I'll go see the face of the guy who caused trouble in another country."

Alberk tried to stop Serge.

"It's unnecessary. Don't meet that man."

"Why not?"

"Because I don't want any more international issues. You've caused problems with the Feveur and Bariel families one after another. What are you thinking?"

Pierre of the Feveur family used the power of the Holy Tree to steal Einhorn.

Erik of the Bariel family attacked Leon's mansion, which was a major issue.

The honest feeling of Alberk and the other six noble families was that they wanted to return to their country as soon as possible.

"Are you going to let them provoke you and do nothing?"

"Exactly. And—think about who is at fault."

Originally, the kingdom provoked them.

The republic was at fault.

Still, Leon's actions were excessive.

It was an event that those who believed they were superior could not tolerate.

—Being attacked so close to the Holy Tree was unprecedented in the republic's history.

"There may be people who try to influence you, but you don't need to listen to them."

With that, Alberk left Serge.

He envied his son's freedom.

That's why he didn't want to involve him too much in politics.

(I'll let you do as you please for now. But Serge—try to have a broader perspective.)

Alberk felt responsible for underestimating Leon and his group.

◇

When Alberk left, Serge crossed his arms behind his head.

"Coward. You're sulking just because you lost a little."

Serge thought differently from Alberk.

Ideal spoke to him.

"According to Reria, he has abilities comparable to mine. He will be a strong opponent."

Serge asked Ideal.

"Can you win? You're a transport ship, right?"

"I can't judge with insufficient information—but I am a military ship. It's offensive to be considered weak just because I'm a transport ship. It depends on how we fight."

Serge looked up at the ceiling.

"I thought Pierre would do something eventually, but I didn't expect him to go after another reincarnated person and get beaten. What a pathetic guy."

"He may have overstepped, but I also consider them dangerous."

Serge looked at Ideal.

"What do you mean?"

"It's unlikely that they were controlled by the power of the Holy Tree. So—they must have used Pierre from the beginning."

Serge spat out.

"Tricky bastards. I don't like that type."

"The same goes for Erik. They obtained the Holy Tree sapling and the priestess. If the reincarnated people had knowledge, this might have been planned from the start."

Serge felt that Leon and his group were well-prepared.

"Troublesome. What should we do?"

"We should make contact. We don't know their purpose. Are they trying to cause the Holy Tree to go berserk? Or are they trying to take advantage of the chaos?"

Serge is a reincarnated person.

However, he doesn't hate the country he was born and raised in.

He has complaints, but he doesn't find it amusing to be trampled by outsiders.

"I'll talk to Reria."

He decided to contact Leon and his group through Reria.

"Sound judgment."

Ideal praised Serge's decision and talked about preparations.

◇

I was in a very difficult situation.

"Why are you in my house?"

I was troubled and frustrated.

The reason was the group of five.

They were kicked out of the mansion by Marié and had nowhere to go, so they ended up at my house.

All five had job advertisements and flyers in their hands.

"We have no choice. We have nowhere to live."

I wanted to kick them out, but I felt sorry for them.

Even though my house was quite spacious, it felt cramped with five guys.

I looked at the job advertisements they had.

They were all part-time jobs.

To begin with, there aren't many places that hire foreigners.

Then I realized something.

"But, you might go back during the summer break, so the time you can earn money might be short."

"What!?"

The group of five looked surprised.

Their thoughts were focused on how to earn money in a short period.

Zirk stood up.

"Part-time jobs won't let us win. Then—"

I called out to Zirk, who was about to leave the house.

"Where are you going?"

"I don't have time. I'll act on my aesthetic sense."

I don't think your aesthetic sense is reliable.

Meanwhile, Chris and Gregg also stood up.

"The only way to earn a lot in a short time is to do live-in work. I'm going to try it."

The job advertisement Chris had was for a tough job with good pay.

Gregg said,

"I'll do it. You should look for other work."

As a result, Chris and Gregg left the house, arguing.

"Stop it! This is my job!"

"You should just look for other work!"

Two more left.

Brad stood up a little later.

"I don't like physical labor. I'll try to earn money in an intellectual way."

I think smart people wouldn't be kicked out in the first place.

In the end, only Julius and I were left in the house.

"What are you going to do?"

Julius looked troubled.

"What do you think I should do?"

—This guy is hopeless.

"Try working."

"But, I'll lose! We need to earn a lot in a short time."

He's trying to work hard for Marié, but what she really wants is a change in the five's mindset.

If they come back with a better understanding of the world, she might forgive them.

But if she says she'll forgive them from a superior position, I'd want to punch her.

"Better than doing nothing. Go to an interview. It's embarrassing to earn nothing."

"Y-Yeah, that's true."

Still, kicking out a prince—Is Marié okay?

While I was thinking about Julius, the doorbell rang.

◇

I was invited by Reria to a school that was empty during the summer break.

I was a bit wary when I was led to an empty classroom, partly because of Reria's atmosphere.

"Why did you call me to such a place?"

Lukseon came with me, but he was silent.

He seemed to be on guard, looking around.

I missed his usual snarky comments.

"There's someone who wants to meet you. I told you, didn't I? The other reincarnated person is a target to be defeated."

When we opened the door to the empty classroom, we saw a boy studying.

Lukseon and I were speechless.

He had a rather rough and wild appearance.

The blackboard said "make-up classes," and it seemed he had been having a lesson.

Reria spoke to the boy.

"It looks like you're done."

The boy, who had his head on the desk, lifted his face.

"All summer is make-up classes. It's ridiculous, isn't it?"

"To avoid failing. You should be grateful."

He had a sun-tanned, wheat-colored skin.

What surprised me was not that the boy who called us was in a make-up class.

Near the well-built boy, a blue sphere—Lukseon—was floating.

Its red single eye was looking at me and Lukseon.

While Reria and the boy were talking, I looked at Lukseon.

"What's going on?"

Lukseon, with his red single eye still on the boy, said,

"It's a subunit. The main unit is somewhere else."

"You mean it's like you?"

Then, the blue sphere came closer to us.

Its voice was the same electronic sound as Lukseon's, but it sounded like a completely different entity.

"Nice to meet you. I am Ideal. May I ask your name?"

It was looking at Lukseon, not me.

It seemed I wasn't even in its line of sight.

"I am called Lukseon. My master is 'Leon Fou Bartalford.'"

"He is a baron in the Holfaht Kingdom. I heard he is a reincarnated person like my master."

The blue sphere—Ideal—turned its single eye toward me.

"Are you just an accessory to Lukseon?"

"If that offends you, I apologize. I'm excited to meet another AI that can move. Our command systems are different, but I feel a sense of kinship."

I looked at Lukseon, wondering if he felt the same, but he didn't say anything.

Before I knew it, the boy, who had been standing next to Reria, was by my side.

"You're a metallic color. Still, it's strange to meet another reincarnated person with the same cheat warship."

"Who are you?"

"I'm Serge—'Serge Sara Raulut.'"

Hearing Raulut, I turned to Reria.

I think my gaze was a bit harsh.

"It's not what you think! He's from a noble family, but he's a problem child who dreams of being an adventurer—He wasn't even at the school until recently."

Lukseon said,

"He must have discovered Ideal during that time."

"Is that so?"

"If he had discovered it earlier, he would have contacted us."

Lukseon's words made Ideal agree.

"That's right. I met my master recently, so I'm gathering information. Do you understand?"

I felt a hint of sarcasm in the "Do you understand?" part.

Just like Lukseon.

"You have the same snarky mouth."

"Please don't lump us together."

Serge spoke to me.

"I wanted to talk to you. By the way, there really are guys who play dating sims."

Is he mocking me?

Reria looked away hurriedly.

"I explained the situation. But he doesn't care about the details."

He seems to be a rough person.

"So? What do you want?"

"Don't be angry. I just want to get along with other reincarnated people. Sit down."

We sat in chairs and faced each other.

"We both have cheats. We have incredible spaceships."

"Right."

"I'm using this power to unite the country. I want to make the Alzer Republic better. What about you?"

He's asking about my goals.

"To be honest, I haven't thought about it. I just want to live a peaceful life in the countryside."

"Huh?"

Serge looked completely disappointed by my answer.

"What's that? It's—boring."