Chapter 78

Julius walked through the streets, his face pale.

"---I can't find a job"

After that, he tried to apply for jobs while hiding his identity, but as Luxion had said, the rumors had spread, and no one would hire Julius.

The embassy had offered him a temporary part-time job, but it was clear they were being considerate.

Julius, in his current state, could not accept the embassy's charity.

Why? Because---

"---That Brad, he's become so popular"

He looked at the poster on the wall.

Brad was apparently performing some kind of magic trick.

He seemed to be gaining popularity as a handsome performer.

Not long ago, he had also seen Zirk, who was buying and selling antiques, and was surprisingly successful, dealing with large sums of money.

Greg and Chris were also working, and when they appeared at the school for tutoring, they looked very tired, but still seemed fulfilled.

"But I'm so pathetic"

He was frustrated.

The other four were proving León's high standard of living.

Yet, he was the only one who still hadn't found a job.

Feeling depressed, a very good smell came to him.

It was the fragrant smell of grilled chicken.

The stall owner looked up at Julius and offered him a skewer.

"Bro, you look down again today. Have one."

"No, I don't have the money---"

He didn't have any money.

He only had some loose change, which he had borrowed from León.

"It's on the house. Is something wrong?"

"Actually---"

When he explained the situation, the stall owner burst into laughter.

"You want a job? Bro, you were worrying about that?"

"It's not a laughing matter. I've been rejected at every interview."

"Wanting to work even though you're not in need, huh? I don't mind that. If you really want to work, I can offer you a job here, but the pay is low."

Julius smiled at those words.

"Really!?"

Actually, Julius, who liked skewers, had become interested in the stall.

"It's a short-term job, and I'll only teach you the basics."

"Please, I'd love to!"

And so, Julius found a job.

◇

At the part-time job, a restaurant.

It had a bar-like atmosphere at night.

But it was a regular diner during the day.

"Are you guys rich? You look so clueless. Buy us a drink!"

The local guys were, as usual, bothering the older brothers and friends who were working at the store.

The drunk guys, who couldn't understand the foreign language, came to him.

"León, what's that guy saying?"

He smiled and told his brother.

"He's complimenting you guys. He'll be thrilled if you buy them a drink."

The drunk brother looked happy.

"Really? So I look like a noble now? That old man has a good eye!"

Raymond and Daniel surrounded the happy brother.

"Even Nix seems to have the air of a future baron."

"Still, the old men of the republic have a good eye. Hey, León, buy them a drink!"

He smiled and said,

"Sure thing. Boss, serve them plenty of drinks!"

The boss looked at his face and pulled back.

"I don't know what you said to those customers, but I can tell you lied."

"Sometimes the truth hurts. So I lie kindly. Everyone can get along. The store makes money. See, no one loses. Plus, I'm kind and don't want to see people fight."

"I don't trust guys who call themselves kind. Jean, get Noelle to bring the drinks."

"Y-Yes!"

"Leave it to me!"

Jean quickly poured the drinks, and Noelle brought them over.

Noelle, who worked efficiently, seemed to be used to the bar atmosphere.

When a drunk customer reached out to touch Noelle's butt, she slapped his hand.

"No touching! My butt isn't cheap."

"Ooh, scary."

The owner glared at the misbehaving customer.

"Sir, you've had enough. I'll take the drinks from those guys."

"Wait, I'm sorry. I won't do it again, so don't take the drinks."

In the noisy store, he did his job.

Jean came over.

"Boss, you like Noelle, don't you?"

He laughed.

"Because I named my daughter Noelle. He probably feels some kind of destiny, right?"

The boss's daughter was named Noelle.

And Jean's beloved dog was also named Noelle.

Noelle was everywhere.

Jean's story made Noelle laugh.

---But don't you remember that I got slapped by my fiancée because of that?

More importantly, thanks to the brothers and friends, business was booming.

When he tried to bring drinks, the boss spoke to him.

"Huh? León, is it okay for people your age to drink in your country? You didn't drink, right?"

That's right. I don't drink.

"Yeah, it's my rule. I won't drink until I'm twenty."

"Is that so?"

The boss, looking curious, went back to work.

The customers, who had been treated by the brothers, were happily drinking.

"Thanks, guys! You look better when you're drunk!"

They laughed, putting their arms around each other.

"I don't understand what they're saying, but I can tell they're complimenting us! León, more drinks and snacks!"

"Sure thing."

His brother was quite drunk.

They were showing that even without words, they could get along with a drink.

---It's hilarious.

◇

On the way back.

He was sending Noelle back to the mansion.

It had become a routine to stop by the mansion and meet Ange and the others.

The conversation on the way back was casual.

"Mr. Clemen is scary, muttering about all sorts of things. Whether to go single or go for a luxurious double. The way he looks at Chris and Greg is scary. I wonder what they're doing."

Mr. Clemen, who they met during tutoring, was looking at Chris and Greg with a scary expression.

They seemed to have lost some weight, or rather, looked more toned.

Their skin looked good, but their fatigue was more noticeable.

I don't think they're doing anything strange---

"Clemen? He's apparently been going to the public bath recently."

"Public bath? You mean a perverted one?"

"What's perverted about a public bath? It's just a regular public bath."

What's going on between the older sister Clemen and those two?

As they walked, Noelle's stomach growled.

---It's not me.

Noelle, looking embarrassed, pressed her stomach and scratched her head.

"Sorry. It smells good."

"Is it grilled chicken?"

Looking to see if they could buy something from a nearby stall---

"Welcome!"

---There was Julius, wearing a twisted headband.

"What are you doing here?"

Surprised, Julius straightened his back and put his hand on his chest.

"I'm working."

His posture spoke of pride, as if he had nothing to be ashamed of.

No, it's not that I think working at a stall is bad or anything.

But it was unexpected.

Noelle, looking at Julius, whispered to him.

"Is this guy the former crown prince?"

"Yeah. He's a funny guy. It would be funny if we weren't involved, but it's not funny at all when it's someone close to us."

I can't even laugh about it.

The stall owner was laughing behind Julius.

"This guy has never even gutted a chicken. The young people these days don't know anything."

Julius was apologizing to the owner.

"I'm sorry. The first time I gutted a chicken, I caused a lot of trouble."

"What, you can do it now. Just keep working hard."

The owner didn't know, but this guy was the prince of the Holthart Kingdom.

What should we do about this?

Noelle was also at a loss.

But Julius was smiling.

"Baltfort, I'll become a pro here!"

---How long do you plan to stay in the republic?

You'll have to go back before you become a pro!

"Give me twenty skewers."

"Sure thing!"

Deciding not to think too much about it, he bought the skewers.

◇

Meanwhile.

Ange was waiting for León at Marie's mansion.

She was worried because he was coming back later than usual.

"León is so late."

The floating Claire was teasing Ange.

"Oh? Are you worried? Don't worry. The grumpy one is watching, and the master is a wimp, so he won't do anything to Noelle."

Liv, who was with her, still couldn't accept the situation with Noelle.

"Ange, do you really plan to take Noelle back? It's cruel not to check her will."

Ange smiled slightly at Liv's words.

"You're kind. But the house you were born into is your home. That woman and her sister can't escape their fate, especially if they have the qualities of a priestess."

When Liv was discouraged, Claire consoled her.

"Don't worry. The master doesn't plan to force anything. If he wants to, I can think of a way to extract energy from the sapling. I'm good at that kind of thing. You don't need a priestess."

Liv looked up.

"What does León really think? I don't know what Noelle is thinking either."

Noelle hadn't been able to talk much with the two of them.

Claire understood the reason.

"You were about to make a move on another man. It's awkward, isn't it? You're not as thick-skinned as Marie, are you?"

"What do you mean by that!"

Marie, who had been listening, was angry.

But she shut up when Ange glared at her.

"That's exactly what I mean. I'm not personally forgiving you, so don't forget it."

"---I'm sorry."

Liv changed the subject.

"But, you're going to take her away. She must be feeling lonely. And it's strange to take only her when her sister is there, isn't it?"

"Emile Raz Prevan---the next head of one of the six noble families, is apparently in a relationship with her. The Prevan family might not let her go."

"But!"

Ange sipped her tea.

---It's a bad tea.

It smelled bad and tasted bad.

He couldn't understand why they had bought such tea leaves.

He didn't know about Marie's sad situation, where Zirk had bought a large amount and she was having trouble disposing of it.

Putting down the cup, he spoke.

"It would be the same if she stayed in the republic. She won't be happy. At least---"

He was about to say something when the head maid called out.

"Angélica-sama!"

Hearing the hurried footsteps, Ange quickly stood up and looked at Claire.

"What's happening?"

"The republic's soldiers are here. I can't get in touch with the grumpy one. This is a bit of a problem. There are a lot of them."

"What? What is it!?"

Marie panicked, and Liv stood up.

"Ange, why are the republic's soldiers here?"

Ange closed her eyes for a moment, then slowly opened them.

"The Respinus family's matter---it seems they found out."

◇

"It's true. I don't lie."

On the way back, he was talking to Noelle.

"You're lying. You only say you don't lie. You were deceiving your fellow countrymen today."

The conversation with Noelle, different from Ange and Liv, was quite lively.

"That's harsh. I pride myself on being honest."

"Is that so? Then---what do you plan to do with me when you take me back to the kingdom?"

The serious question was suddenly thrown at him.

He had expected it would come up eventually.

Holding the paper bag with the skewers he had bought in one hand, he scratched his head with the other.

"---I don't plan to take you by force. I'll try to persuade Ange."

"Is that really okay? If you take me back, won't it help your career?"

"Career? I'm already at the top, so there's no more room for advancement. Besides, I want to live a quiet life in the countryside. I hate the dirty politics at court."

Noelle looked down, her face sad, as if she understood.

"I understand. My family was like that. We were twins, and the house was divided over which one to support."

He hadn't heard this from Léa.

"Léa didn't know anything?"

"---She didn't have the aptitude. She was almost involved, but thanks to that, she was saved."

He felt she was hiding something.

Her expression had changed for a moment, but---it was probably just his imagination.

"Priestess aptitude. How do you check it?"

"---My mother said Léa didn't have the talent. That's all. A priestess is someone who can communicate with the holy tree, so it's the holy tree's judgment, I guess. The house servants who were trying to support Léa were disappointed. But it was for the best. If things had gone wrong, one of us might have died."

Everything was so dirty.

"Léa didn't know because she wasn't told? There was no need for someone without the aptitude to know."

"That was for the best. Even if she had the aptitude, it wouldn't have meant anything for us at that time---"

A sound of something approaching could be heard.

He positioned himself in front of Noelle, as if to protect her, and looked up.

"From above?"

There, Arrogant was descending.

Luxion was with him.

"Master, get ready for battle. The republic has brought military force."

"Is it that late? Besides, it's a bit late to notice. You've been slacking off."

"It's not that. There was jamming---"

Arrogant landed in front of them, and suddenly the surroundings became bright.

Blinded by the strong light, he couldn't open his eyes.

Squinting, he heard footsteps.

Armed soldiers surrounded them, and one man stepped forward.

Noelle whispered.

"---Serge"

Serge, whose face was hidden by the backlight, spoke solemnly.

"Long time no see, Noelle. ---I've come to take you back."