The World of Otome Games is Tough For Mobs - Volume 8 - Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Face to face 

The prestigious Roseblade family.

According to Deirdre-senpai, her ancestors were recognized as nobles in the kingdom after a great adventure.

Since then, they have participated in many adventures and now contribute to the kingdom as Counts.

They had a long history and their contribution to the kingdom that is incomparable to that of the Baltfault family.

On the other hand, the Baltfault family was not very active as adventurers.

Our beginnings were very subtle, as I worked hard to get Luxion. My ancestors participated in the war and it seems they got the credit.

I became a little lord with the reward in that moment, and since then my life has been scrutinized in detail.

The Kingdom of Holtfault was founded by adventurers, and those who managed to become one were respected by those around them.

In other words, if you are not an adventurer, your reputation is low.

Unlike the Roseblade family, which has been active, the Baltfault family has continued as a modest home.

But then the prestigious Roseblade family requested a match with the Baltfault family.

There was no idea what the other side was thinking.

However, this pairing started in the worst way.

- {I'm Nicks.}

- {I know. Didn't you hear about me beforehand?}

- {...I am sorry. That is true.}

- {Then, we can stop the annoying greetings.}

It was a matchup that I was sorry to see, but if my heart was broken at this level, the boys at the academy wouldn’t forgive me.

Luxion and I meet in a separate room.

Also, Angie, Livia and Noelle --- in a wheelchair --- were also with us.

The five of us were watching a live video projected on the wall, but unlike Nicks, who looked nervous, Dorothea had a bad attitude.

After folding her arms and looking at Nicks as if she was evaluating him, she averted her gaze and didn't even try to look at his face.

- {E-Emm, what are your hobbies?}

- {... Oh, you're a really boring man.}

- {I am sorry.}

Even if he started with normal greetings, Dorothea didn’t treat him well.

I was feeling sorry for Nicks.

Noelle, who was already uncomfortable, shook her head in disbelief.

- It's a terrible pairing. It seems that the other person has no intention of speaking. Isn't this a failure even if Leon doesn't do anything?

She agreed with Noelle's opinion, but Angie shook her head.

- No. If it is a match, the priority is the connection between the houses. It's not even worth considering your own intentions.

Livia looked sadly at Angie, who stated it clearly.

- When I think about it, I feel sorry for both of them. They don't even like each other, but they are bonding for the good of their homes.

Angie seemed to be watching it, but now she was glancing at Dorothea, who was projected on the screen.

She was angry at Dorothea's attitude, despite saying that it couldn't be helped.

- But normally, she should be more accommodating. The rumors of excessive selections were true.

I decided to talk to Angie, who seemed to know something.

She wanted to get information on Dorothea, but it was also because she couldn't see Nicks in the video any longer that it was painful.

- Rumors?

- It's because of his appearance. There were many men who requested marriage proposals both during the academy and after graduation. However, all those pairings failed. There were rumors that she was the problem.

Her appearance is beautiful, and it is no wonder that many men have proposed to her. If so, what was the problem that the match never made? Does she hate men? Or does her heart belong to someone else?

- There are no indications or rumors that Dorothea has a partner of the opposite sex or is homosexual.

She doesn't seem to like people of the same sex and she doesn't seem to have someone in mind. Why do her pairings keep failing?

- Ah, Dorothea is ...

When I turned to look at the video due to the voice of Livia, Dorothea was moving.

She hadn't even looked at Nicks's face until now, but now she was serious.

- {Are you ready to be my pet?}

- {Eh? Your pet!?}

Angie sighed a little and Livia's face went expressionless.

Noelle was so surprised that there was a rattle from her wheelchair, but for me, who knew the girls at the academy, it didn't surprise me.

Noelle was shaking and pointed to the video.

- That person... what did she say?

I suppose she was hoping she had misheard, but her wish was shattered by Luxion.

[She stated that she wants to make a pet out of her partner. It's rare for families above Count families, but Deirdre has said in the past that she wants to turn the husband into a pet. The sisters must love to subdue people.]

- No, they shouldn't !!

Livia was a bit impressed by Noelle's natural reaction.

- Usually that's the case, but the School of the Kingdom is a bit special.

In place of Livia, whose expression clouded immediately, Angie tried to reassure Noelle.

- This is still better than it was before.

From my point of view, it is not something that interests me since I have freed myself from marital affairs.

However, I am interested to know how much the school has changed during the year I was studying abroad.

...When I saw Jenna at the mansion, I felt hopeless.

In the video, Dorothea, who lost interest in Nicks and was unable to respond after a while, stood up and left the room without saying anything.

When the video cut, we all sighed at the same time.

Angie continued to talking about the rumor.

- The bad rumors seem to have been true.

Is there still something else? I asked for a detailed explanation.

- What kind of rumors?

She asks a question this bad and pushes for an answer, but any answer given to Dorothea will cause her to leave her seat. In the previous question, if you want to be a pet, if you give a mean look and refuse, she will lose interest in you. After all, none of the answers will convince her.

Is there a pattern like where Nicks was stunned, unable to respond?

She gives you two options, but she won't agree with any of the answers? And if you don't respond, it doesn't work either?

What a bad question.

Luxion made some guesses on this question.

[There may be a third answer that has not been submitted. Or maybe perhaps the question itself implies her rejection?]

Angie seemed to have the same opinion as Luxion.

- I think it's the latter.

Is he asking this question because he hates you from the beginning and not because you were wrong in your answer?

This was a nuisance, but now I feel comfortable with the situation.

- Then I suppose it won't be a problem if I don't help.

Dorothea did not like Nicks and would make this pairing fail.

I was relieved that I could achieve my goal without doing anything.

However, Luxion projected the following image.

[Because of that way of lowering your guard is the reason why you keep repeating the same mistakes, Master]

- What did you say?

I thought about hitting him, but in the video, I saw Deirdre-senpai and Dorothea.

Deirdre-senpai ran towards her sister Dorothea.

- {What are you doing sister? This time even our father won't forgive you.}

There were also servants of the Roseblade family around her, who surrounded her so that they would not let her escape.

Dorothea had a face of having already given up.

-{I understand. Just ... give me one last chance.}

- {I want you to stop even if you're joking.}

From the situation of the two, it seems difficult to say that there was no match.

I supported my head with my right hand. She changed her mind as if she had no choice but to do so.

- It's more serious than I expected.

I did not understand why the prestigious Roseblade family was interested in a weak and small rural baron family.

Because I am here? I am an independent marquis of my parents' house.

The faction, or my backing, is the Duke of Redgrave, Angie's home.

There is no point in even thinking about taking part in this ... but after thinking so much, I noticed that Angie put her hand to her chin and looked at me.

She seems to be more concerned with my reaction than the matchmaking.

- By the way, Angie, what do you think about my brother's marriage? Did your family say something to you?

When I asked, Angie shrugged and shook her head.

-Nothing. Do what you want.

I'm grateful they don't mess around, but does that mean my parents' house is of no interest to the Duke of Redgrave?

Livia looked at me and seemed concerned.

- Are you sure you want to do this, Leon? I think it would be better to leave it there.

- I can't back down after I've come this far. Nothing will happen. I'm good at failing pairings.

When she laughed and responded, Noelle, unfamiliar with the circumstances, looked at us.

- I’ll wait. What are you going to do? I haven't heard anything about it.

Actually, I should have told Noelle, but I was just hesitating on the method.

- Actually... I'm thinking of doing a Loic impression.

- Eh?!?

Next to the surprised Noelle, who was having trouble reacting, Angie crossed her arms, looked at me, and murmured.

- You should have a painful experience at some point.

◇

- Are you sure this will work out?

I called Nicks in the waiting room and explained my plan to break the match. I smiled and shoved Nicks a dog collar on a chain.

- Do not worry. I've seen enough confessions in the Republic to know it will work. If you take a necklace and say "you are mine", you are out. She will refuse to partner with you.

The model for this plan was Loic, who continued to propose to Noelle in the Republic.

Loic, who is the capture target from the second otome game, was approaching Noelle with a collar, wondering what he had done wrong.

He was a cringey man, but in the end, he reformed to become Marie's younger brother.

...Even if he reformed, being Marie's little brother is pretty terrible.

Does Marie, even if she isn’t attempting to attract capture targets, have radio waves that do?

Nicks grabbed the necklace with both hands and broke out in a cold sweat.

- No matter how you look at it, this is too much. Isn’t it wrong for a person to do something like that, and won’t this ruin my reputation and the house?

The problem was there.

If he held up a necklace and said, "You belong to me!", Nicks and the Baltfault family would be questioned for their common sense.

However! ... The Roseblade family was the first to work hard.

Luxion will leave a nice video of the pairing, so you can reply even if you complain in an emergency.

If Dorothea was a normal person, I would feel guilty, but if she mistreated my brother, I would be angry like a younger brother.

We will take revenge and make her feel pain.

- There is no problem. Angie told me she has a big attitude problem.

- That's true? I have seen the advanced class tea parties in school and it was nothing like this.

... At a tea party, a person like Dorothea is classified as a decent girl. That shows what a terrible environment it was, but it's scary when you think about it like that.

- I also believe it. I've had tea parties more terrible than this.

- I understand you were having a hard time, but this is just awful. I would question my humanity if someone came to me with this.

I'll have Nicks do that action from now on.

- So, you will marry Dorothea just like that? It won’t just be a loveless marriage. Will you live the rest of your life being disrespected?

- I would hate that.

After meeting Dorothea, Nicks seemed to realize that it was impossible for them to be a carefree couple like our parents in the future.

So, for my brother's sake, I'm going to break this pairing.

That's what this necklace was for.

- Brother, if you use this, you will surely fail. I'm sure they'll say they don't want this kind of matchmaking.

- I mean to say it, but isn't this hurdle too high?

- You will have to accept it.

Nicks looked at me and the necklace alternately, tugging at his cheeks.

- This is easier said than done.

- I'm sorry you have to go through all this too!

- Liar!

◇

When Dorotha returned back to the room, Nicks was not there.

The cold tea remained on the table.

When Dorothea returned, a servant from House Baltfault was making tea.

- He finally showed his true colors.

At first, she had no expectation of a country baron family, but the atmosphere of the mansion and the attitude of the servants did not seem noble from Dorothea's point of view.

If the objective of the comparison is the family of one Count, it is not surprising that the other families appear inferior.

Even if you understand that, everything still seems to look sloppy.

If I reject this proposal, my father will abandon me too. 

Dorothea was aware that her father, the head of the Count household, was sweet to his daughters.

However, if this engagement ends in failure, her father, who is sweet to his daughter, would change his attitude.

Even Dorothea, who has caused a lot of trouble so far, could understand that. Life is boring, isn't it? 

After taking a sip of tea, Dorothea crossed her arms under her chest and waited for Nicks.

When the waiting time lengthened, she crossed her legs.

 Looks like I've pissed him off. 

She thought she had angered Nicks and that this engagement was ruined.

But then the door was thrown open vigorously.

- Oh, did you come to complain?

Nicks had a slightly tense face the moment Dorothea put on a mocking expression.

He didn't seem to be in a good mood like before.

Dorothea decided that Nicks was angry, but something was wrong.

Nicks seemed to be quite nervous.

- ...Why don't you sit?

When she suspected that Nicks was not going to sit, she seemed to notice that he had something hidden behind him.

Could he be hiding a gun? That's what she thought, but the Baltfault family would get in trouble if they hurt her.

He also did not believe that this person had a bad temper.

After thinking about various things, Nicks put what he had hidden on the table when Dorothea, who was wary, was ready to escape.

Dorothea was confused when she saw the object placed in front of her with a metallic rattle.

- What ...!?

She couldn't make a sound from the shock.

In front of her was a dog’s collar.

Immediately when she saw Nicks's face, he had a tight smile.

- I've made a necklace that will look good on you. You asked me to be your pet, right? I will tell you, my answer. You will be my pet!

When Dorothea was told to become his pet, she noticed her body shaking before she knew it.

She crossed her arms and stood up, and jumped out of the room again without looking at Nicks.

Behind Dorothea's back, Nicks laughed and called out to her in a nasty voice.

- Are you running away? It seems like you were a pretty little mistress despite having a habit of treating people like pets!

Hearing those words, Dorothea felt her body suddenly heat up.

Even if she didn't look in the mirror, she could predict that her face was all red.

When she ran out of the room, Deirdre, who had been keeping an eye on the situation, was sitting in the chair they had provided.

When she looked at Dorothea, she winced for a moment as if she had escaped again, but realizing that something was wrong ...

She got up and ran over to Dorothea.

- What is it, sister!?

Dorothea brought her wet eyes to Deirdre, who was holding her by the shoulders. Deirdre was surprised to see her weak appearance.

- What happened!?

- Deirdre, I...

◇

You did it, brother!

As soon as Dorothea left the room, I entered through a different door.

Nicks' great performance made me laugh, but judging from Dorothea's condition, I had a feeling that the plan was a huge success.

After all, his face was all red due to his anger.

As for Nicks, he hid his face with his hands and even his ears were red.

- Stop. How did it come to be? ... I never thought I would treat someone like a pet.

- Wasn't that just a performance? You worry too much.

- The other party took it seriously! Leon, is it really, okay? I agree with the goal, but I'm freaking out.

By now, Nicks was scared for having terrified the other family. However, I have the basic principle of not crossing dangerous bridges. At least I have insurance in case it fails.

- Calm down. If something goes wrong, I will apologize to Deirdre-senpai later. "Will something work just by apologizing?

- No problem. That's what money is for. Luxion will prepare it for you!

When I turned my gaze near my right shoulder, Luxion, who was floating there, was looking at me with his red eye.

[Following Master’s orders is always my job. If money could solve this problem, wouldn't it have been better to pay something up front and decline the match?]

- Wouldn't it have been a waste to pay up front?

[He's still strangely stingy.]

It would be a problem in many ways if they offered you a match and suddenly paid for it not to happen.

Luxion pointed his red lens at Nicks.

[Please be calm. Even if the Roseblade family uses force, both you and the Baltfault family will be protected.]

In response to Luxion's reliable words, Nicks rested his shoulders.

- I want you to do something before that happens. I want to finish it in a peaceful way before you can use force.

Looking at the anxious Nicks, I thought of him as my brother.

After all, I am worried too.

- Everything will be fine. I'll count on Angie in case of an emergency.

I was thankful that my fiancée is trustworthy.

However, Nicks, who raised his face, was looking at me with a cringey face.

- You ... Aren't you ashamed to depend on people all the time?

Nicks seemed to be blaming me, but I didn't understand.

- Don't you think it's arrogant to do everything alone? Trusting someone who can do it is the right choice.

Nicks put a finger to his forehead and worried about my words.

-That's true. It looks like you're scratching yourself and letting someone else clean your butt though, right?

...he had hit a weak spot.

However, having someone to trust is a kind of power.

- It's like having the right person in the right place.

- You seem to do whatever you want and force others to clean up your mess. You are very selfish, did you know?

- You are too serious, brother. Thanks to me, your pairing failed, don't you think you should give me more praise?

- If my reputation and spirit had not been harmed, I would have honestly praised you. Now I regret having taken the easy path and letting you help me. She seemed more surprised than I thought, I feel bad for her.

What are you talking about now? Luxion comforted Nicks when I thought that way.

[You made a mistake hanging out with the wrong person. Like you, the Master often makes me regret it. However, a Master who teaches an artificial intelligence to lament may be a great man in his own way.]

Why does this guy despise me as easily as I breathe?

- I'm glad you learned to feel human.

[Don't you want to reflect on that a bit? Your lack of empathy for others is also a problem.]

- It is necessary to make some sacrifice to achieve your goals.

[However, it was not you who made the sacrifice, Master.]

Nicks was embarrassed when he remembered the scene.

- It's true. I shouldn't have trusted you.

I have embarrassed Nicks, but at the expense of his reputation and spirit, this pairing will fail.

It was a not inconsiderable sacrifice, but the result was worth it.

With this, there is no problem as long as the post processing is correct.

◇

After Leon headed to the room where Nicks was, Angie and the other two, who were waiting in a separate room, were talking about the future.

Noelle, her cheeks tight, seemed to remember the moment she was chased by Loic.

- It looked terrible when I was wearing it, but it's even worse when I see it like this. Doesn’t this mean that Nicks' reputation is going to decline?

The ending was so bad that Noelle was worried about Nicks.

Livia asked Noelle a slightly unpleasant question.

- Noelle, you and Leon were connected for a while, but you were happy at the time, right?

- That was---!?

Noelle's face turned red and she tried to deny it, but she couldn't excuse herself and her mouth paused.

When Angie and Livia visited the Republic, they probably remembered the cursed necklace Loic had put on her.

It seemed like Livia was rooted in the fact that the appearance of her with the necklace playing with Leon, no matter how she looked at him, seemed to be flirting with him a lot.

Angie berated Livia.

- Don't say unpleasant things.

- Forgive me.

Livia repented and apologized to Noelle with, "I'm sorry."

Noelle also accepted the apology with some difficulty and the conversation ended without lingering and moving on to another topic.

Livia was concerned about the Roseblade family's reaction.

- There is the problem with Nicks, but I am also worried about his partner, Dorothea. It pissed her off, so I'm sure she reported it to her parents' house.

She hoped the relationship between the Baltfault and the Roseblades ... would not suddenly turn dire.

Livia turned to Angie.

- Angie, are you sure you didn't have to stop him? Normally, you should stop Leon, right Angie?

Leon is a man who usually speaks with a lot of common sense and takes everything in stride, but once he shows motivation, he tends to exaggerate.

It seems Livia was worried that Angie, who was worried about Leon, might not be able to stop him.

Angie smiled and started talking about the underlying problem.

- No problem. And I hope Leon suffers something while fixing it. And Deirdre said she had come to request a match even once?

Next to Livia, as she pondered, Noelle looked up a bit and spoke, remembering.

- Hey? It's an engagement meeting, right? Because Yumeria … eh?

Both Noelle and Livia only began to understand it when they got here.

The Baltfault family and Yumeria believed it was a pairing, but Deirdre never said it was a pairing between Nicks and Dorothea.

Angie shrugged and gave a little sigh in surprise.

- Formal matches are very troublesome. The higher the rank, the more troublesome the procedure will be. There is no clear way to ignore an invitation to a matchmaking. Even if you do, the Roseblade family will be troublesome to deal with afterwards.

Noelle leaned forward a bit and asked Angie about the Baltfault family's reaction.

- But Leon and all the family members believed it was a pairing, right?

Angie spoke of the Baltfault family's troubles with a concerned look.

- The problem is there. For better or for worse, the Baltfault family is a rural baron family.

They are not familiar with the formalities. Part of the misunderstanding is found there. If he had continued as before it would be fine, but Leon has gone too far.

With a sad look, Angie felt bad that the Baltfault family was also involved in Leon's rise to power.

A rural baron family that had remained indifferent in the countryside was now embroiled in a legal dispute.

- Neither Leon nor Leon's parents' house is the same as before. The fact that the Roseblade family contacted us is proof of that.

Noelle was more depressed when she heard that.

Noelle was brought from the Republic of Alzer because she was the guardian of the little sapling of the Sacred Tree that produces energy ... the priestess.

She is in a position to manage a ridiculous plant that will solve the energy problems of the future.

But it was Leon who protected Noelle.

It seemed that Noelle thought she was forcing Leon into a power struggle that he didn't want to participate in.

- It's my fault? This is all my fault because I am being protected by Leon.

Noelle, who can manage the sapling of the sacred tree that people with authority absolutely want to obtain, if she screwed up and it was found out in the open, she will be kidnapped and taken to some country.

Since it was Leon who was protecting her, she thought she was causing trouble for him.

However, Angie immediately denied that story.

- Unfortunately, even before he met you, it was decided that Leon would be involved in a court battle, since he is with me.

In the first place, my father also accepted my commitment to incorporate him into his faction. 

If you have a duke's daughter as a fiancée, you will be part of the struggle for power even if you don't want to.

Vince, a duke who is Angie's father, was weak before his daughter, but that is not enough to be the head of a great noble family.

Naturally, he allowed his engagement to his daughter in anticipation of Leon's power.

It is true that he was kind to his daughter, but it was unusual for him to marry his daughter, a duchess, to Leon, a Viscount who emerged at that time.

He has feelings for his daughter, but he was also thinking about the benefits.

- By the way, the one getting the most attention is Leon himself instead of you, Noelle.

Noelle made a confused face at Angie's explanation.

When Angie tried to continue, there was a loud knock on the bedroom door.

The sound of the knocking was so loud that the three of them thought the person knocking was impatient.

- You can come in.

As Angie allowed the person to enter, Yumeria rushed inside.

- T-This is terrible! It seems that another noble airship has come to port!

From Yumeria's nervous state, Angie guessed that it wasn't the nobles she usually associates with, but an important one like the Roseblade family.

- This is getting more complicated. So what house is it?

Yumeria took out the paper where she had written down and said the name of the other house.

- It's the Atlee house.

Angie's expression disappeared as she heard the name of the house being said with a light feeling, as if it were a next-door neighbor.

- ... Clarice?

The person she guessed was "Clarice Fia Atlee".

As a court nobleman, she had no territory, but she was the daughter of Minister Bernard, who held a ministerial post in the royal capital.

Like Deirdre, she was the daughter of a great noble.