That World of Otome Games is Tough for Us - Volume 2 - Chapter 11

Chapter 11:

Those of the Rose and Sword

IN THIS BRIEF DOMESTIC CONFLICT between ­noble houses, the Roseblades, Bartforts, and poor barons’ sons came out victors. Neither the Offrey nor Lafan names would appear on maps drawn of Holfort in the future.

Former Viscount Lafan’s region temporarily fell under direct royal jurisdiction. Eventually, the crown would dispatch a representative administrator to the area, appoint a new regional lord themselves, or maybe even sell the lands to a lord ruling over a Holfortian border region. Whatever happened was in the royal family’s hands now.

The Offreys’ floating island couldn’t simply be abandoned as it was. Since we’d claimed victory, providing the region’s new ruler was on us.

Most assumed I was the natural choice, but we couldn’t ignore the efforts of our collaborators, the Roseblades. I would be a baron in the future, but the Roseblades were an established noble house presiding over an earldom; they far outranked me in terms of both status and influence. If I took all the credit and assumed the role of regional lord, there’d be all kinds of unnecessary discord between our houses, maybe even hostilities—which was why I didn’t claim the position.

Finding someone else to appoint would be a safer choice. To that end, we Bartforts gathered at our home to discuss options. That might sound a little more formal than it actually was. There were only three of us: my old man, Nicks, and me. And there was no fancy meeting room or parlor. We were in my dad’s office, which was more like a small study.

If we’d carried out this discussion without the Roseblades’ input, there would’ve been issues. In fact, though, we’d already finished negotiations with them. We’d also already chosen the region’s next ruler, so this was more like signing off on them, now that everything had been confirmed. As for who that next ruler would be…

“Why do I have to leave home to be a viscount?! No one said anything about this to me!”

It was my older brother, Nicks. He was flipping his lid, perhaps somewhat understandably indignant that we’d made the decision without his input.

“You’re the only person fit for the job,” Dad insisted, trying his best to persuade my brother. “Besides, think about it. You’ll be a viscount. That’ll benefit you, and you know it.”

Taking up that title, Nicks would become the new lord of the region the Offreys had formerly governed. My father and I agreed that was the best course of action. I refused to take the position myself for a plethora of reasons. Dad could’ve inherited it instead, ruling both his current territory and the new one, and become either a viscount or earl in the process. 

But there were reasons we didn’t—really, couldn’t—take that route. For one, Dad lacked ambition. In his words, “Even if I took over and ruled both, I’ve no confidence I’d do an adequate job overseeing another vast stretch of land.”

The other reason was Zola and her spawn (my words, not his). As Dad put it, “I’d rather the new territory go to Nicks. If those lands end up in my name, Zola and her children will insist I hand them over.”

Dad didn’t trust that Zola and her eldest son, Rutart Fou Bartfort, wouldn’t get greedy and demand the lands immediately. Rutart would naturally inherit them, since he was the eldest Bartfort son. Yet he was always off swanning around with Zola, never at home, and Dad preferred prioritizing the interests of a son he was closer to.

Of course, there was another option: giving Nicks the current Bartfort baronry and the title that went along with it, while Rutart took the Offrey territory and viscount title. Dad opposed that outcome strongly, though. Moreover, the Roseblades weren’t in favor of it. They couldn’t stomach the idea of the land they’d gone to great lengths to help us wrest from Offrey control falling into Zola’s clutches. Who knew what she’d do with it?

Anyway, that was why we concluded that Nicks needed to take over as viscount. I thought it’d be good for him, and I sure as hell didn’t want more status than I already had, so I was all for it.

Nicks didn’t seem to appreciate what he was receiving, though.

“This doesn’t make any sense!” he bellowed. “Me, become a viscount out of nowhere? There’s no chance the palace’ll accept it. And I don’t know the first thing about ruling!”

Nicks was in the academy’s general class, so he’d received none of the necessary education on rulership and administration. He was also a little too earnest for his own good, and he was convinced he’d be an incompetent viscount.

He had a point. Still, I wouldn’t have recommended him for the position without anticipating his reluctance or understanding his lack of requisite knowledge. I shot my old man a look.

Dad hesitated, then said, “About that… Actually, someone’s taken an interest in you.”

“In me?” Nicks said skeptically.

Dad reached into his pocket and produced a letter. The Roseblade crest was pressed into the envelope’s sealing wax. “This is a missive from House Roseblade. The earl wishes to entrust his daughter to you.”

Nicks gawked. How could he not? An earl far outranked us. Marriages between houses like the Roseblades’ and ours weren’t entirely unheard of, but there was still a huge status gap. Any guy in Nicks’s position would feel out of his depth marrying an earl’s daughter.

Nicks snatched the letter, hands shaking as he broke the seal and unfolded the paper. His eyes ran quickly over the page. “Why would anyone have any interest in…hm?” 

There was surprise, and a smidge of anticipation, in his gaze until he drank in the contents of the letter. Then, color gradually drained from his face. My dad and I surreptitiously averted our eyes. We were already aware of the letter’s contents.

“‘You have real guts, taking down those deplorable Offreys, so you stuck out to me,’” Nicks read aloud. “You’ve got to be kidding me.”

That was definitely a, uh, unique way to phrase it. The edge of Nicks’s lip twitched in dismay.

“I mean, I admit it’s a bit eccentric,” Dad said hurriedly, trying to be diplomatic, “but the fact remains that Earl Roseblade’s daughter took a liking to you! It’s fine to meet with her once and talk a bit, isn’t it?”

Nicks shook his head vigorously. “Leon picked a fight with the Offreys in the first place!” he boomed. “He cleaned their clocks, not me! If this Roseblade girl’s interested in anyone, it ought to be him!”

While the two argued, my thoughts wandered to the sender of the letter. I sighed. It wasn’t Deirdre who’d written about her interest; rather, it was her older sister, who had already graduated. From what I understood, she was as idiosyncratic as Deirdre herself. I couldn’t decide whether Nicks was lucky that he’d so intrigued her. 

Well, either way, I’m the one who arranged this behind the scenes.

In the short few seconds I’d looked away, Nicks had seized my old man by the collar and begun to shake him. Dad felt too guilty to stop him.

“Do you have any idea the position you guys are putting me in when you tell me out of nowhere that I’m going to be a viscount?!” Nicks froze for a split second. “That’s it. Leon! Leon can become viscount instead! He did all the work. This girl will be just as happy taking him for a husband.”

“Leon already has Rie!” Dad snapped. “You know that!”

“I do know that! It’s not like I forgot! But the point is, I can’t be a viscount!” Nicks’s face pinched as if he was about to dissolve into tears.

My heart ached. Not out of guilt, but because most brothers, whether they shared blood or not, would sacrifice one another if it meant climbing nearer to the top. Mine was instead a paragon of self-sacrifice, willing to forsake his chance to move up in the world and offer it to me. That compassionate quality was precisely why I wanted him to be happy.

My lips curled into a toothy grin. “I’m not cut out to serve as a viscount. All that responsibility would be a pain in the butt for me. Anyway, I knew you’d whine about us deciding things for you, so I brought along the charming lady so eager to meet you.” I raised my voice and shouted, “Ladies, please come in!”

The door to Dad’s study flew open, and two women stepped inside. 

Deirdre, who had accompanied her sister, entered first. “You may have taken down some famous air pirates, but you seem to lack the gravitas expected of someone wielding such power,” she said disapprovingly. “I hoped you’d be more steadfast and confident. How disappointing.”

Nicks tried to smile but faltered. He and Deirdre were in different classes but still in the same year, so they had at least passing knowledge of each other. “Miss Deirdre? Should I assume you’re the young lady I am to marry?”

“Oh, no. You’ve misunderstood.” Deirdre cast a look at the woman behind her. “This potential arrangement would be between you and my elder sister.”

Everyone’s gazes moved to Dorothea Fou Roseblade. Her blonde hair was long and straight, unlike Deirdre’s. The dress she wore enhanced her slender figure and its delicious curves. Her perfectly groomed bangs hung over her forehead, and her intimidating eyes were narrowed.

At twenty years old, Dorothea was the picture of beauty, but given her looks and aura, I wouldn’t have been surprised if she’d shown up with a whip in hand.

Nonetheless, I envy you, Nicks.

“Lord Nicks,” said Deirdre, “this is my sister Dorothea.”

“A pleasure,” Dorothea said curtly. 

Her gaze shifted away from Nicks. She obviously didn’t have the best attitude. Still, I had to make sure these two got hitched—for my own happiness!

“You’re lucky, Nicks, landing a girl this gorgeous,” I said with a feigned smile, careful to rein in my very real jealousy.

“What’re you grinning your head off for?” he snapped.

Dorothea’s ample breasts were the only reason I wished I could be in Nicks’s place. The moment I’d sensed what kind of person she was, I actually felt for him. Her personality was as intense as her beauty.

“You seem to be enjoying yourself, bickering with your brother while you ignore me,” Dorothea snapped at Nicks irritably.

“Eek!” Nicks squeaked, recoiling.

Dorothea folded her arms under her breasts and lifted her chin, staring down her nose at him. “My, do you flinch so easily? If you’re to be my husband, I would prefer you not shame yourself so openly in front of me. After hearing all you did to dispatch those Offrey ruffians, I looked forward to meeting you, but you fall short of the reports.”

“I’m afraid I must agree.” Deirdre nodded. “If Father weren’t so invested in this engagement, we would already back out.”

The arrangement between Nicks and Dorothea wasn’t a totally done deal. I was only about eighty percent sure it would happen. That said, this whole meeting between them was essentially a formality—a prerequisite for marriage. Even if they both tried to refuse, that alone wouldn’t annul the impending engagement.

Perhaps it was my own bias speaking, since I’d coordinated all this, but Earl Roseblade had seemed very much on board with it—unlike the two unwilling participants. Regarding their match, he’d said, “We must ensure this marriage is a success. Whatever it takes, I want Nicks to be part of our family!” 

The earl had been quite insistent on that point. Before I left, he’d grabbed my hands and said, “Give Nicksie my best wishes. He’ll be my son-in-law soon enough!” The determined glimmer in his eye made clear his intention to force the union. He had no intention of letting Nicks escape his clutches.

Later, I had Luxion investigate the matter. At that point, I discovered that Dorothea was a source of great stress for the earl. She had ruined numerous potential engagements, and everyone around her had begun to worry that she wouldn’t wed at all if she kept it up. The earl was probably so desperate to pair her up that a status gap between himself and his future son-in-law wasn’t a concern, so long as the man in question was decent.

Nicks fell silent.

“Your younger brother, Lord Leon, is an accomplished adventurer,” Dorothea continued. “From what I understand, though, you’ve achieved nothing despite being his senior. Are you truly related by blood? Aren’t you the least bit embarrassed at how he’s surpassed you? Well? Say something for yourself.”

I was losing my cool with the nonsense she was spewing. Dad probably didn’t like her attitude, either, but he knew he couldn’t get angry with an earl’s daughter. 

“Actually,” he said under his breath, “Nicks is more the norm for this family—Leon’s the exception.”

How was I an “exception”? I was obviously as average as they came. I’d happened to get my hands on a cheat item—Luxion—but that didn’t make me less normal.

Nicks lifted his head, a wrinkle in his brow. “That’s right,” he snarled at Dorothea. His attitude had taken a hard left. “I can’t even measure up to my younger brother. What of it?”

Dad gulped. This was the first time he or I had seen Nicks act so nasty with a woman. Had he lost his mind? At first I worried he had, but it only took a few seconds to catch on to what he was doing.

“Nicks, you can’t seriously mean to—”

“Shut up.”

I’d tried to stop him, but it was too late. He was going to act hostile and argue with Dorothea in hopes of wriggling out of this engagement. His plan was shortsighted, though. He was assuming that, even if he completely infuriated her, we could smooth things over somehow.

Don’t do it, Nicks! If this falls through, I’m the one who’ll catch heat!

“You’re being awfully stubborn about this!” I said through gritted teeth. “Let’s calm down a bit. Pissing off your potential bride’s only going to make the situation worse.”

“You put me in this position to begin with!” Nicks snapped at me before returning his gaze to Dorothea. He jabbed a finger at her. “You listen here, you selfish princess!” 

Her jaw dropped. “S-selfish princess?!”

“Don’t get the wrong idea. You’re not doing me some kind of favor by marrying me. I’m doing you one! If that bothers you, run home to your daddy.”

“Y-you’re telling me to leave? No one’s ever said anything like that to me,” Dorothea said.

“People walk on eggshells because you’re some earl’s daughter, that’s all.”

Dorothea’s brow creased. “You seem unaware of how frightening we Roseblades can be once provoked.”

“The Roseblades as a house, maybe. But all I see standing in front of me now is a selfish young noblewoman who deluded herself into thinking her family’s power and influence are actually hers. There’s nothing ‘frightening’ about you.”

“You’re calling me selfish again?!” Her cheeks flushed with anger.

Nicks was sweating bullets even as he forced a composed smile, trying to seem as though he wasn’t the least bit worried about the repercussions of angering her.

“Nicks, knock this off right now!” Dad snapped. “You’ll put us at war with House Roseblade itself!” Tears welled in his eyes—despair that the cause of our doom might be unfolding before us.

None of us could have foreseen the sudden turn coming our way.

Up until this point, Deirdre had seemed gobsmacked, but she finally broke into a smile. “Sister, I’m so happy for you. Congratulations.”

Huh?

Dorothea’s cheeks had taken a rosy tint—anger, I suspected at first, but I was mistaken. There was a smile on her face and something uncanny about the way she licked her lips. She looked…excited?

“Yes. You’re perfect,” she told Nicks. “Every other man turns deferent at the sound of the Roseblade name—subservient. I’ve been waiting for one with backbone who would be worth whipping into shape.” She hugged herself abruptly, her entire body trembling.

Nicks’s jaw dropped. “Uh, what? Um…wh-why?”

Dorothea clasped her hands at her voluptuous breasts, as if in prayer.

“Actually, I in fact hoped for something more,” she continued. “For us to butt heads fiercely, to temper one another. That’s precisely the sort of marriage I’ve been looking for. I don’t want an obedient partner, or a domineering one who simply commands that I obey. Both are boring—pathetic. I’ve finally found my ideal match!”

Sweat poured down Nicks’s face as Dorothea snatched his arm up, clinging to him. 

“You’re perfect,” she repeated. “I’m confident we’ll build a wonderful family together.”

With that, she started dragging him from the room. As they disappeared through the doorway, Nicks managed to turn back, hand outstretched toward me. “H-help!”

I smiled back and waved. “I wish you two great happiness.”

Dad cradled his head in his hands as he struggled to digest what he’d just witnessed and how things had unfolded. “This is for the best…isn’t it? I haven’t made a mistake…?”

“It’s fine,” I assured him, eager to assuage his anxiety. “With this, Nicks will be a viscount and regional lord.”

“I can’t shake the feeling I sold off my son, though. I’m sorry for him. I feel…guilty.”

I was just happy that the viscounty, and the annoying duties it entailed, were Nicks’s problem now. He was having trouble finding a partner, and I set him up with a filthy-rich beauty. How awesome am I? Yes, I was the paragon of kindness.

As the door clicked shut, Nicks’s screams echoed down the hallway. “Leon, I’ll remember this!” he sobbed. “I swear I’m going to clock you in the face one of these days, you hear?!”

Ah. He’s so grateful, it’s reduced him to tears. I smiled blithely.

Deirdre shrugged at me. “I can read your face like a book. You’re glad to foist all this on your brother. Well, I’m a little envious of Dot regardless. I wish I could find a man with that backbone.”

I hope you manage it! But stop eyeing me like you wonder whether I fit the bill.

Well, even with that out of the way, more was still required to clean this mess up fully.