Anoseka Volume 2 Chapter 11

This is MTL. So, I cannot guarantee that the translation 100% contextually accurate or appropriate.

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Chapter 11 "People of the Rose and the Sword"

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The civil war between the nobles ended in victory for a group of barons led by the Roseblade and Bartfalt families.

The names of the Offley and Lafan families will not appear on any future maps of the Kingdom of Horfalt.

The territory of the Viscount Lafan family will temporarily be under the direct control of the royal family.

Will they send officials, appoint lords, or sell the land to neighboring lords at a higher price? It is up to the royal court to decide.

All that remains is the Offley family's floating island.

It is out of the question to leave it to no one and neglect it.

We who win will have to prepare a new ruler.

At first, I thought that I would get the Offley family's lands. People around me seemed to think so, but in this case, I cannot ignore my collaborators, the House of Roseblade.

I will be a baron in the future, but the Roseblade family is a Count family.

Considering the rank and ability, if I take all the credit, it will be a source of conflict in the future.

So I decided not to take over the Offley family's territory.

It would be safe to appoint someone other than me as the lord.

To decide who that someone was, we were gathered at the Baron Bartfalt's mansion.

Although I say gathered, it was in my father's study, his workroom.

It was just me, my father, Nix. The three of us, father and sons.

It is problematic for this side to proceed on our own, but in fact I have already completed negotiations with the Roseblade family.

It would be a form of after-the-fact consent, but the new ruler of the floating island is——

"Why am I going to become an independent viscount?! I’ve never heard of that!!"

——My second brother, Nix.

Nix, who makes a fuss about the unforeseen situation, is persuaded by Dad, who thinks he should accept the deal.

"Because you were the only one who was qualified. Besides, you could become an independent viscount. It wouldn't be a bad deal."

My second brother Nix becomes a viscount and takes over the former Offley family territory.

My dad and I agree with this.

I refused for many reasons, and my dad was no different.

Originally, my dad could have taken over the old Offley family territory, owned two floating islands, and become a viscount or a count.

However, there are reasons why this cannot be done.

One point is that he lacks ambition, saying, "Even if the size of the territory expands now, I don't have the confidence to govern." The other point is —— Zora and her children.

According to my dad, he wanted to make Nix independent before Zora and the others started to make a fuss about handing over the territory to them.

If my dad gets his hands on the land, Zola and his family will make a fuss about handing over the old Offley family land to the eldest brother, [Lutoart Fou Bartfalt].

Lutoart is the eldest son of the Bartfalt family, so he naturally has the right to do so.

As for my dad, I guess he'd rather have Nix than Lutoart, who isn't at the family home.

There was a way to give Nix the Bartfalt territory and make him a baron, and to give the former Offley territory to Lutoart and make him a viscount.

But this was rejected because my dad was against this —— and because the Roseblade family was not satisfied with this method.

For the Roseblade family, it seems that they cannot stand to have the former Offley territory, which they had taken the trouble to acquire, left to the likes of Zora and her family.

That's why the flow was to make Nix independent as a viscount.

For me, who doesn't want to rise any higher, I'm all for it, because it's not a bad deal.

Well, Nix doesn't seem convinced.

"This is crazy! How can I suddenly become a viscount? The royal court would never approve of such a thing. Besides —— I can't govern!"

At school, he is enrolled in a regular class and has not acquired the knowledge and skills necessary to become a lord.

The serious-minded Nix seems to think that even if he becomes a viscount and gains territory, he won't be able to do anything.

――That is correct.

But I would never have recommended Nix to become a Viscount —— without assuming that level of responsibility.

When I looked at my father, he explained the point, although he was confused.

"About that, there is actually someone who is interested in you."

"In me?"

As Nix tilted his head, dad took out a letter from his pocket.

The sealing wax seal on the letter was stamped on the seal, and it belonged to the Roseblade family.

"It's a letter from the Count of Roseblade. It says they wish to entrust you with their daughter."

Nix was surprised by this.

After all, the other party was from a high-ranking Count family.

Although the marriage with the Baron is never said to have been a good idea, it is still not balanced in terms of the rank.

Nix receives the letter and anxiously checks its contents.

"Why are they interested in me——Hmm?"

His eyes, filled with surprise and slight expectation, gradually lose their color.

Both I and my dad had checked the contents first, so we looked away from Nix.

Nix reads the contents of the letter aloud.

"[I like your guts for beating up the Offley family's that we didn't like] —— oi.'"

The contents of the letter, which is so unique, make Nix's cheeks twitch.

My dad is hurriedly trying to convince Nix.

"Well, it's a pretty unique letter, but it's true that they are interested in you! It wouldn't hurt to meet face to face at least once and have a chat, would it?"

Nix can't seem to accept it and raises his voice to resist.

"It was Leon who brought the fight in the first place, and it was also Leon who beat them up! If there is any interest, it should be in Leon!?"

While my dad and Nix were arguing, I thought of the person who wrote the letter and let out a sigh.

The person writing the letter is not Deirdre-senpai.

Her older sister——she has already graduated from the school.

Not inferior to the unique Deirdre-senpai, this one was also a unique person.

Is Nix lucky or unlucky to be liked by such a person?

——Well, I'm the one who pushed the idea behind the scenes.

I looked away for a moment and saw Nix grabbing my dad's chest and shaking him.

My dad may feel a sense of guilt, so he just goes along.

"I can't be told to become a viscount out of the blue! Y-Yes, that's right. It's Leon! Let Leon be the Viscount! He's the one who made the big move, so it should make sense to them, right?"

When Nix tries to force trouble onto me, my dad speaks first.

"Leon has Marie-chan, didn't he!"

"I know! I know but! I can't do iiiit!"

Seeing Nix on the verge of crying makes me a little emotional.

It is common nowadays to kick out brothers even if they share the same blood, but to give me, his younger brother, a chance to rise through the ranks is a true example of an older brother.

That's why I want Nix to be happy.

With a big smile on my face, I congratulate Nix!

"It’s impossible for me to be a viscount too~, I don't want to be a viscount and have to struggle. Also, I knew from the beginning that aniki would be stubborn, so I'm bringing the lady of the house with me. Both of you, please!"

At my call, the door to the office opens and two women enter.

Deirdre-senpai, the escort, entered first.

"Even after defeating a well-known sky pirates, you still haven't developed any dignity. It's a shame, because I thought you would show a little more dependability."

Nix's cheeks twitch as he looks at Deidre-senpai who looks disappointed.

Although they are in different classes, they are in the same grade, so they must know each other.

"Deirdre-san? Could it be that the partner I will marry is——"

In response to Nix's hasty conclusion, Deidre-senpai turns and looks at the other woman.

"You are mistaken. The person who is making the marriage offer is not me, but my big sister."

Everyone's gaze turned to a woman, [Dorothea Foe Roseblade].

She has long straight blonde hair and is wearing a dress that emphasizes her glamorous figure.

She was a beautiful woman with cut bangs and sharp eyes.

She appears to be even more deserving of the word "queen" than Deidre-senpai.

She is twenty years old.

I envy Nix, a beautiful woman who would not look out of place if she appeared with a whip.

Deirdre-senpai introduces Dorothea-san.

"This is Dorothea onee-sama, who suggested a marriage proposal with Nix-dono."

"—— Nice to meet you."

Dorothea-san who gave a curt greeting, turned her face away from Nix, so I couldn't say she had a good attitude.

But this marriage deal must be wrapped. ——For my happiness!

"You're lucky to have a beautiful woman as your partner."

Trying not to show my envy, I tried to smile, but Nix didn't seem to like it.

"What the hell are you laughing at!"

When I learned that Dorothea-san, who has big breasts, would become Nix's wife, I was jealous.

But after learning about her personality, I can now sympathize with him.

She's as harsh as she looks.

Dorothea-san was apparently irritated with Nix for ignoring her.

"You seem to be having a lot of fun ignoring me."

When Dorothea-san said that, Nix let out a scream "Hih" and backed away.

Dorothea-san, who folded her arms under her chest, looked down at Nix.

"Ara? You seem to have lost your nerve. I hope the man who is going to be my husband won't make such a pathetic sight. I was looking forward to seeing you when I heard that you had defeated the ruffians of Offley —— I'm disappointed."

Deirdre-senpai agrees and is disappointed.

"Absolutely. If Otou-sama wasn't keen on this marriage proposal, I would have refused."

As for this marriage proposal, it is 80% confirmed at this point.

Today's meeting is also based on the premise of getting married.

The talk will not go away even if the two refuse to accept it.

——As someone who has made the arrangements so far, but contrary to their reluctance, their father, the Count Roseblade, was quite enthusiastic about it.

Specifically, "We will make this marriage a success and add Nix-kun to our family!" he was enthusiastic.

When I met with him, he said, "Please give my regards to my family, Nix-kyun," while holding my hands.

Those eyes——I could feel his strong will to get his daughter married and not let Nix escape.

I later had Luxion look into it, and it seems that Dorothea-san was a source of trouble for Count Roseblade.

She has repeatedly broken off marriage proposals, making those around her worried that she might not be able to get married at this rate.

If there was a decent partner, he would have wanted to marry her, even if he was a little out of rank.

In front of Nix, who falls silent, Dorothea-san continues to criticize him mercilessly.

"Your little brother, Leon-dono, has made a name for himself as an adventurer, and you as his older brother have done nothing, have you? And yet you have the same blood in your veins? Have you no shame? Say something."

I'm also a little angry when I see Nix being criticized all the time.

My dad can't be mad at her because the person he is dealing with is daughter of the count's family.

However, he whispered, "Nix is normal in our house, and Leon is more out of ordinary——"

What's out of the ordinary about me? I'm sure I'm just average.

I am just a regular guy who got a cheat paid item called Luxion.

Then, Nix, who had been enduring Dorothea-san's criticism, looked up.

He furrows his eyebrows and takes on a different attitude than before.

"Aa, that's right. I'm a worse big brother than my little brother. What's wrong with that?"

Both my father and I were surprised to see Nix in a quarrelsome mood.

This is the first time I have seen the usually serious Nix behave this way toward a woman.

Is this guy out of his mind? At first I was worried, but soon I realized what Nix was up to.

"Aniki, don't tell me——"

I tried to stop Nix, but it was already too late.

"You have to shut up."

Nix picks a fight with Dorothea-san in order to make the marriage topic disappear.

He seems to have the shallow idea that if Dorothea-san gets angry and leaves, nothing will happen.

S-Stop it, aniki! I'll be held responsible!!

"Aniki, you're not going to get away with it! Just calm down. Angering them will only make the situation worse."

I tried to quiet him down, but Nix wouldn't listen to me.

"You're the one who put me in a corner! And you better listen up, selfish woman!"

Nix points to Dorothea.

Dorothea looked surprised, "S-Selfish woman, you said!" and exclaimed.

"Don't misunderstand me. I'm not asking you to marry me. I'm marrying you! And if you don't like it, then you better get the hell home."

"Y-You want me to leave? I've never heard anyone say that to me before."

"They didn't tell you because they were concerned about the Count."

"Let me tell you something——it seems like you don't know how terrifying the Roseblade family is."

"Aside from the Count, what I see in front of me is just a selfish woman who thinks she's a queen. I'm not scared or anything."

"You're calling me selfish again——"

Seeing Dorothea-san's face redden with rage, Nix was smiling, while trying to show his composure despite breaking out in a cold sweat.

My dad looked like he was about to cry, saying, "Stop it, Nix! You are going to make us to go to war with the Roseblade family this time".

——But the situation took an unexpected turn.

Deirdre-senpai, who had been dumbfounded, smiled at Dorothea.

"Onee-sama——Good for you. Congratulations."

――Hmm?

Dorothea's face was bright red, but when I looked closely, I saw that she was smiling.

Without changing, she licked her lips with her tongue mysteriously.

Rather than outraged, she is excited?

"Good. You're the best. ——All the guys are always getting down on his knee sat the mere mention of Roseblade. I've been waiting for a man like you who is worthy of discipline!"

Nix is surprised to see Dorothea-san, who shudders as she hugs herself.

"Eh? Eh?! Hah!? W-Why?"

Dorothea-san joins her hands in front of her large breasts and makes a praying gesture.

"No, I'd rather we discipline each other——I prefer a man who is more aggressive and confrontational. I don't want a quiet man or a pathetic man who just wants me to obey him. At last —— I have found my ideal man!"

Nix was breaking out in a cold sweat.

Dorothea-san wraps her arms around Nix and hugs him.

"You are the best. I feel like we can have a great family together from now on."

Just like that, Nix was pulled by Dorothea-san and as they left the room, he reached out his hand to me.

"H-Help——"

I smile and wave to Nix as he is taken away.

"I wish you happiness"

Dad is holding his head in his hands, unable to process the scene in front of him.

"I-It was the correct thing to do, right? I'm not wrong, am I?"

Let's comfort my anxious father.

"It's okay. Now aniki is a lord and a viscount"

"——Thanks, I feel like I sold my son, so I feel sorry, or should I say sorry?"

Successfully forced Nix into a troublesome position.

In addition, I was a kind younger brother who even provided Nix, who was having trouble finding a marriage partner, with a beautiful and wealthy partner.

As the door closes, I can hear Nix's screams.

"Leon, remember this! I'll definitely punch you somedaaaay."

It looks like he's crying with joy.

Seeing me smiling, Deirdre-senpai shrugged her shoulders.

"You look like you have pushed a troublesome matter. That being said, I envy onee-sama. I wish I could find a strong-willed man, too."

——I hope you find it. So don't give me that kind of appraisal look.

Now, I'll take care of the rest of the aftermath.