Mobuseka Volume 12 Chapter 8

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

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Chapter 08 "Breaking the Engagement"

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Part 1

"What the hell is he thinking, that idiot aniki?"

After the holidays, it was some time after Finn and the others returned to the Empire.

Marie was sulking in a classroom at the school.

The reason is Leon.

Kara, who has become accustomed to taking care of Marie by her side, worries about Leon as she puts away her textbooks and notebooks.

"He's been absent since the holidays. The principal says he hasn't heard the reason, so I wonder what's going on?"

The current principal of the school is Leon's tea master.

He is an adult whom Leon rarely respects from the bottom of his heart.

It seems that Leon has not told his master about the circumstances of his absence.

Marie says as she closes her eyes and throws up.

"Even if he is absent without permission, he is a Grand Duke, so he is not blamed, and the teachers don't complain."

"It can't be helped. He's a hero who saved the country many times."

"If he's a hero, I hope he doesn't skip school without notice."

The reason for Marie's sulking is not because Leon is being absent.

The reason for this is that, without Leon, it is impossible to check on Erika's condition, who has been collapsing more and more often due to illness.

(Luxion is on aniki's side, and Creare is moving around and can't be caught. Erika is still suffering, why can't I stay by their side?)

She was frustrated by anxiety because her big brother, whom she could rely on, was not by her side.

Kara, worried about Marie, awkwardly makes a suggestion.

"Ano~, why don't you just ask those three? I'd rather talk to Noel alone, but I'm not sure if she knows what's going on."

"Sure, they might know what's going on, but I don't want to talk to them too much."

"So am I."

Both Marie and Kara have been giving Ange and Livia a lot of trouble in their first year.

Many of these troubles were also life-threatening, and she felt uncomfortable relying on them out of guilt.

Noel is the only person the two of them can rely on without hesitation, but there is one problem.

The thing is that when Leon needs work-related advice, it is Ange that he relies on.

In many cases, Noel did not know the details of the situation.

Marie folds her arms anxiously and looks up at the ceiling for a moment before making a decision.

"F-For now, let's talk to Noel."

"That's the only way."

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Part 2

(How could this happen!?)

Marie couldn't stop breaking out in a cold sweat.

Marie is summoned immediately after school to Ange's room in the girls' dormitory.

Along with Ange, the owner of the room, there are also figures of Livia and Noel.

Behind Marie, who was sitting in a chair, Kara stood back like an attendant and kept herself as background.

Marie sends a glance to Noelle.

"W-Why did you call me~? I just wanted to talk to Noel."

(The person who I took her fiancé from and the person who I took her saint position from has been glaring at me!!)

Under the stern glances of Ange and Livia, Marie asked Noel for a reason.

Noel does not seem to notice Marie's impatience, and while looking down, she seriously tells the reason for summoning her.

"It's about Leon's absence, isn't it? We don't know the details either. Luxion is not here, and Creare is not leaving Licorne either."

"I thought I hadn't seen her at the school lately, so she's been in Licorne all this time."

"Yes. So I thought that maybe Marie-chan would know something about it."

The reason Marie was called was that she might know something about the situation that Ange and others did not know.

(No, I asked because I didn't know!!)

Marie, frightened by Ange's piercing gaze, breaks out in a cold sweat and her cheeks are drawn back.

"I haven't been told anything, so I thought Noel and the others knew."

Noel nods slightly.

"I know. But you two are usually very close, right? So I thought this would be a good time to ask you about your relationship."

Marie understands why Ange and Livia are looking at her so sternly.

(These guys are going to question me right here! Aniki, you idioooot! At least explain to them what's going on before you're absent!!)

Ange quietly asks Marie, who curses Leon in her mind.

"He went off with Luxion without telling us. Have you heard anything?"

There is a history of a causal relationship between Marie and Ange.

It was Marie who took Julius, Ange's former fiancée.

They have already reached a reconciliation, but that does not mean the relationship has improved.

It's just that because of Leon, they get a lot of opportunities to meet each other.

Marie replies with an awkward smile plastered on her face.

"I-I haven't heard anything. But hasn't it ever occurred before that he just goes off without saying a word?"

(I'm being suspected so badly!! I don't know where aniki is! This definitely makes them suspicious of our relationship!!)

Marie cried in her heart when she was suspected because of Leon.

But a refusal won't clear Ange and Livia's suspicions.

This time, Livia asked the question, but her expression was cold despite her gentle tone.

"Leon-san, even though he didn't tell us the circumstances, he talked to us when he went out. But that didn't happen this time."

Then Noel, who has less care about the atmosphere of the place, perhaps because she is worried about Leon, presses up to Marie.

"Marie-chan, you were talking to Leon a while back, weren't you? Didn't he say something to you at that time?"

Both Ange and Livia's eyebrows twitched at Noel's words —— that Leon had a secret meeting with Marie before he left.

"Like I said, I didn't hear anything."

(We were just talking about Erika's situation, why do they have to suspect me!)

When Marie denies it, Ange seems to have reached the limit of her patience.

"——I've always wondered, what is the relationship between you and Leon? Leon is always saying that it's an inseparable relationship, but I just can't accept it."

Livia also voices the question of what has been happening so far.

"He gave you a lot of allowance, too. Moreover ——"

Just as Livia is about to say something, Noel looks toward the window and raises her voice.

"Leon is back!"

Looking out the window, Einhorn could be seen in the distance.

Its unique appearance, with large horns extending forward on the bow, made it stand out even from a distance.

Marie breathes a sigh of relief.

(You're late, baka aniki!!)

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Part 3

When Livia and the others board the Licorne, they are ushered into the reception room by Creare.

The three people sitting on the sofa waiting for Leon and not even sipping the drinks prepared by the robots.

Ange is silently annoyed, and Noel looks worried.

As for Livia——.

"Only Marie-san was guided to another place."

——She was concerned that Marie was the only one who was taken to a separate room, even though she had boarded together.

This is why Ange seems dissatisfied.

"She said she was going to visit Princess Erika, but that was unnatural to begin with. What is the connection between those two?"

Again, isn't he only telling Marie about the situation? That was hard for the three of them.

Noel clasped her index fingers together and pursed her lips.

"It's cunning to treat only Marie-chan specially, isn't it? In the first place, what is the relationship between the two of them? I've only known her since we met at Arzel, but it's kind of strange."

Ange lets out a small sigh.

"I thought he'd come to rely on me."

She thought she had improved their relationship some time ago, so this must be extraordinarily upsetting to her.

It was the same for Livia.

(Before, Marie-san had called Leon-san aniki. But later, when the subject came up, there was a big fuss at Leon-san's parents' house —— but in the end, there was never any connection.)

There was the case of Leon's father, [Barkas], who was suspected of cheating.

That is, Marie is Leon's little sister —— In other words, could it be the illegitimate child of Barkas? That's what she thought.

He was suspected of having an affair with Viscount Lafan's wife, but eventually settled that it was not possible.

In that case, it remains unclear why Marie called Leon aniki.

(At the time, things must have been very confusing, so maybe it wasn't true? But seeing Leon-san's behavior, I can't help but wonder——)

None of the three thought that Leon saw Marie as someone of the opposite sex.

The main reason, as well as his usual attitude, is that she is very out of Leon's preferences.

And his attitude towards Marie is—— like a family. It was also close to what one would direct at a younger brother or sister.

That is also the reason why when Marie approaches Leon, Ange is furious but does not force her to pull away.

(Why does Leon-san treat Marie-san so special? He said he hated her when we were first years.)

Livia recalled the days she had spent at the school, but when the door opened and Leon entered, she involuntarily raised her hips.

"Leon-san! ——Eh?"

It was the first time in a long time that she had seen Leon, and he had more raw wounds.

And he gives the impression of being somewhat rougher.

It feels strange for Leon to behave as usual.

"Well~, I'm sorry, were you all three doing well? Actually, I got into a little bit of trouble, and it's been hard to deal with it ~"

Noel was perplexed by Leon, who answered with lazy laughter and vague reasons for his unexcused absence.

Like Livia, she must have sensed a change in Leon's atmosphere.

Only Ange runs up to Leon and raises her right hand —— and then brings it down without doing anything.

She tried to slap him, but she stopped just before she did.

"You idiot. What have you been doing all this time?"

"I said, I got into a little bit of trouble——"

"That's what I'm asking you to tell us. Why are you hiding it? If you're in trouble, let us help you. Your problems are our problems."

When Ange asked him to explain the reason and let them help him, Leon —— scratching his head and let out a deep sigh.

Leon's expression changed.

Livia was momentarily terrified by the cold gaze that had never been directed at them before.

Pissed off? Did he hate them? More than that, she was surprised that Leon would make a face like this.

Leon says with a deeply disgusted attitude.

"—— Everything's too troublesome now. No, let's break off the engagement with the three of you right here and now."

When Leon says something nonchalantly, Livia reaches out her hand.

"Leon-san? Y-You're lying, aren't you? Because ——"

Hearing the words she did not want to hear, Livia turned pale —— and Ange was shaking.

"Why now? You've told me. You want me. Even if you have to fight with the Redgrave family —— And yet ——"

From Livia's position she cannot see it, but surely she is crying.

Hearing Ange's tearful voice, Noel glares at Leon.

"Are you seriously saying that?"

Leon seemed uninterested and turned his back on them and walked away.

Without turning around, Leon tells the three of them.

"Of course I'm serious. Then get the hell off my ship. ——We will never see each other again."

When the door closes, Ange crumples to her feet and sits down on the spot.

Livia ran up to Ange, who was hugging herself, and hugged her.

"Ange!?"

"I, I——I got dumped again——Because, for Leon's sake——"

Livia's heart aches at the sight of the normally strong-willed Ange crying like a child.

At the same time, she realized she was crying, too.

"Why, Leon-san? Isn't this——terrible?"

The three of them could only cry or be stunned when Leon broke off the engagement without giving a reason.

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Part 4

After meeting with the three of them, I came to Creare's laboratory.

On a large table is a collection of the loot items I brought with me.

There are various types of antique-like tools and near-future weapons.

All of these items were brought back from taking up the challenge of the dungeon.

These are some of the most valuable items you can get in that otome game.

All of these items can be secured if you have played the first game.

Creare is looking at those items.

[I've heard you've been around the eastern part of the kingdom, but you've secured quite a bit.]

"I didn't recover all of it, though. ——My memory is fading, too, and there are a lot of holes in my knowledge of the game that I wrote down right after my reincarnation."

I regret that I should have written it down in more detail.

Many items of low value that were not useful in the game were not noted in the notebook with their hiding places, as there would be no need to bother remembering them.

The item I wanted the most at the moment was among them.

I regret that I was not thorough enough.

Creare has expressed interest in a metal cane.

It is a wand that looks like something a magician would use, and it is decorated with several large jewels, perhaps for decoration.

[This gemstone is filled with magic elements. It amplifies the owner's magic power.]

"Can it be used?"

[We'll need to break it down for optimization. And the material of the cane——I mean, it doesn't even have to be a cane. But Master doesn't use magic very often, right?]

Admittedly, I'm not good at magic.

However, depending on the situation, it may be used.

"The more options, the better. Make it ready to disassemble and usable right away."

[What about the loss of cultural value?]

It is a valuable item obtained from the ruins, but for me now it is just a tool.

Sorry, but I couldn't afford to be concerned about cultural values in the current situation.

"I don't mind. Do it."

[Ok.]

In a lighthearted tone of voice, Creare accepts the task and has the work robots clean up the items on the table.

Creare turned her one blue eye on me.

[More importantly, Master, you've gained a lot of muscle mass in the few days I haven't seen you. ——I wouldn't recommend excessive drug use.]

"If that's all it takes to increase our odds of winning, I don't see the problem."

When I said that without changing my expression, Creare seemed a little puzzled.

Since it seems I'm not going to listen, so she warns Luxion.

[Master's physical condition management is under the jurisdiction of Luxion, right?]

[——I cannot refuse if it is said to be an order.]

So they end their conversation and I talk about our plans for the future.

"After replenishment and maintenance, we will head south tomorrow."

There are still items to be collected.

There was no time to lose so I wanted to leave right away.

Creare seems to be worried about me.

[It's bad for your body if you don't rest a little.]

"I want to do everything I can."

——There won't be much time left before the Empire declares war.

Actually, I'd like to settle the battle right away, but as it is, the odds of winning are too low.

Whether it's retrieving items or training my body, it's all for the sake of winning —— to destroy Arcadia.

Then there's another thing that is essential to victory.

"——Have you been able to contact your folks?"

When I asked Creare, she shook her single blue eye from side to side.

[Negative. They were all aiming for Arcadia. If we get too close to Arcadia, the communication will go down. If we are close to each other, we'll be able to keep in touch, though.]

If we get too close, Arcadia will detect us and attack us.

"Keep on calling them. Tell them that the descendants of the old humans are still alive, and your friends will gather in the kingdom."

If Brave's story is true, then weapons powered by artificial intelligence should have woken up.

If we can get those guys on board, we have a chance.

I want to increase my win rate until the very limit.

For that —— I would do anything.

Luxion, who had been silent, asks me about what happened before.

Apparently, he is not happy about the fact that I broke off the engagement.

[Master, why did you break off your engagement with Angelica and the others? It was not necessary to go that far.]

"Because it was too much trouble."

Crossing my arms, I take my gaze away from Luxion and look at the empty table top.

[The usual Master would deceive them. Until now, you have done so. And yet, you intentionally hurt Angelica and the others.]

I raise my eyebrows and Creare interrupts the conversation.

"Master is the worst! ——You acted with such an attitude and hoped those three would just break up with you obediently? Master has a really troublesome personality.'

Creare is stunned, but Luxion is angry.

[It's not just a break-up story. In Master's case, the premise is the problem. Master, do you have any intention of returning alive?]

To Luxion's question, I didn't respond.

However, it has become a hassle to be here, so I open my mouth.

"——Marie came too, didn't she? She's probably in Erika's room. I'm going to check on her."

As I leave the laboratory, I hear Creare's voice behind me.

[He ran away.]