After returning to the Bradford territory, the entire crew of the sacred kingdom on Ixion's ship was placed under arrest.
They were being watched by robots, so none could escape, and even if they tried, they wouldn't be able to leave.
As night fell, all the allies stayed there to spend the night. And as a thanks for the victory, a feast was held.
Since the number of guests was greater than expected, the entire territory joined in the cooking to also celebrate.
It was a party on the scale of a small town.
There wasn't a single place where no one was celebrating.
Some eating as if there were no tomorrow and others drinking as if they couldn't do it again.
By Ixion's suggestion, a party hall was built a year ago.
It was big but not too much, just enough for 500 people.
In noble society, parties are very important, but everyone thought: "Why spend so much on a place where only rural nobles live?" (Walt thought at that moment.) But now he realized how wrong he was.
"Wahaha, that was surprising, Bradford."
"I always thought you were a coward, but I can't believe a man from such a small territory could put up such a fight."
Said the gorilla-like man while putting his arm around Walt's shoulder.
The man with closed eyes and a slender build agreed with what his companion said.
"Certainly, the Bradford family is known as the smallest territory in the vicinity. But after what has happened in the last two years, our opinion of you has totally changed."
"Especially about you, Lord Bradford."
"Huh? Me?"
Said Walt incredulously at what he had just heard.
"That's right," responded the noble without stopping his praises. "I didn't expect you to be such a good commander and strategist."
"I can't believe you launched a suicide attack just to buy time for us to surround and finish them off."
"It was very risky, but your weaponry and armor were top-notch, and thanks to that, you won without a single loss."
"Huh? Suicide attack?"
Walt murmured in a low voice as he began to feel his stomach churn.
"Without a doubt, you are a wise and fierce man. Having you as an enemy would be very bad for us, which is why we neighboring nobles want to join your faction."
"Faction?"
He began to break into a cold sweat, his clothes were soaking wet.
"That's right, Lord Bradford. We may be small nobles, but we are sure that belonging to your faction would be best for us."
"The palace doesn't help us; we rural nobles always have danger at our backs. But after what happened today, pirates and neighboring countries will surely fear approaching us if we join you."
"Please accept my son as an apprentice in your fleet. He will surely learn a lot from you."
Surrounded by praise from the neighboring nobles, Walt, for the first time in his life, felt as if his soul was leaving his mouth.
(Everything that happened was a stroke of luck where we miraculously didn't die?)
"Sonya! Guys! Help your father!"
The crowd was suffocating him, but he wasn't the only one who would go through it.
On a balcony, watching the sailors and villagers drinking happily in the garden, was Elaine, who was sad.
She was rescued, it's true; her butler cried upon seeing her.
But this problem occurred because of her, for wanting to break the possible engagement with Lyle.
She said that; they explained that the enemies would have come anyway, so it's their fault.
Even with that explanation, she feels it's her fault, especially because she was saved by that man she rejected.
"Everyone looks happy even though they are from different social classes."
She saw territory officials drinking with commoners. Inside, nobles were conversing with knights.
It was evident that social etiquette was something all of them were unaware of.
"But... it feels so warm to see them like this. Not worrying about what others think of them, being happy with their loved ones."
"In the capital, something like this is unimaginable."
Elaine immersed herself in her vision, imagining herself drinking and celebrating with the villagers.
"Ah, Elaine-san."
She heard the voice of someone who entered the balcony as if hiding.
"Lyle-san? What's happening?"
She finally remembered his name.
Lyle signaled for her to be quiet.
She watched a group of men looking for him.
"Are you on that side?"
She said with a gesture of her hand indicating if he was attracted to men.
"Of course not! It's just that they started bothering me when they heard I defeated the enemy commander."
"..."
Lyle couldn't leave, so he decided to stay there with her on the balcony.
The wind of the cold night began to make Elaine's shoulders shiver.
Seeing her shiver, Lyle took off his coat; he had a jacket, so he wouldn't be cold anyway.
"H-here. It's cold and you came out without one."
"T-thank you."
She replied timidly.
For Lyle, this behavior from her was unimaginable.
Then she opened her mouth to say some words, but the words wouldn't come out; she repeated it several times until she finally gathered the courage to speak.
"I'm sorry."
Was the first thing she said.
"I was a complete idiot. I caused problems for you, your family, and many other families with my childish behavior."
"My father was right, I'm just a spoiled girl who can't see beyond her own nose."
Elaine was sad because she recognized the nuisance she was for several people.
Lyle was confused because this behavior was unexpected.
"Huh? What are you talking about?"
She told him the same thing she told Ada, but with a different expression.
After a while, she finished her story.
"Now I understand everything, that behavior."
"It makes me laugh a little because we are actually alike."
"Really?"
"Yes. I was like that too, I wanted to leave here and that's why I pretended to be someone I'm not."
"I was disappointed to be a peasant, I grew up with stories of the city but when a certain day came, I understood."
"It's not worth pretending to be someone you're not. You won't have anyone from that world with you, the only place that always accepted you even if you rejected it was your home."
"So I understand your desire. Although I didn't want to go on adventures."
Elaine felt a little better with his words; she thought Lyle would mock her in retaliation for the rejection.
"You're really incredible," she murmured. Lyle looked at her surprised. "What you say doesn't seem real because from the beginning you fought to protect your home and your younger brother," she said, looking at the happy villagers.
"This place is very beautiful, you are truly united. When the war happened, several people I knew fled without hesitation."
"My father felt disappointed even with my mother, who prioritized her life by fleeing from her family. Seeing that, I felt that everything I knew was a lie and that's why I wanted to cling to the only real thing I knew."
"But I didn't imagine they were just horrible people."
Elaine broke down, she grabbed Lyle's arm and began to cry her heart out.
"I was so scared! I was terrified of what those men wanted to do to me, it was the first time in my life I was so afraid."
"I really don't want to experience that again. I'd rather stay home all my life knitting and live in peace than experience something so terrifying."
"Forgive me for being an idiotic woman who lived in her own imagination. You are a wonderful man and deserve a good woman who deserves you, not an idiot like me—"
Lyle couldn't take it anymore and hugged her.
"You're not an idiot! You're not wrong either!"
"Huh?"
Elaine couldn't believe what she was hearing from the man she looked down on.
"You're not mistaken. Your life felt empty, you just wanted to give it the joy you didn't have, and that's not wrong."
"I lived a lie but now I managed to make that lie true using my own means. I make sure to be a good heir so everyone believes in me; you can also live that dream of having an adventure in a quiet place, even..."
Lyle hugged her tightly to affirm his feelings.
"Even if you want, I can accompany you to a dungeon where all we do is walk for hours and reach the other end; that would be a boring adventure but in the end it would be our adventure."
"I know you don't remember, but I... when I was at the academy, you helped me; I had no idea what noble society was like, but a beautiful girl with long golden hair handed me a book she was returning."
"That small gesture of yours made me see you as an incredible woman. And now, with what you told me, I want to get to know you more. I want to know more about you because I like you a lot."
"And one day... I want to say I love you. I'm that kind of cowardly man who sees an opportunity and will take it."
Elaine returned the hug.
She buried her face in his chest.
(His chest is big and his back is very broad.)
She hugged him in response to his feelings.
"I-if you're okay with a pitiful woman like me. I wouldn't mind accompanying you from the scariest place to the most peaceful one."
Lyle stopped hugging her and looked into her eyes; her eyes were moist.
"R-really? Does that mean that...!"
Timidly, for a woman over 20, Elaine made the expression of a maiden in love.
"I must say I really liked what I saw. Seeing you fight to rescue me made me feel a tingle I had never felt before."
"I started liking you from that moment, Lyle-san."
"Oh my, how embarrassing that you see me like this!"
Her shy gaze was covered by her hands. Lyle was speechless.
(I did it. I finally managed to get a wife with my own hands.)
(I have to tell my parents, and brag to Bram and Rudel!)
"Elaine-san, if you're okay with me, I promise to make you happy."
Lyle took her hands to make that vow; she was still embarrassed but didn't refuse.
"Y-yes. I would like to know more about you. I'm not good at anything because I never cleaned or cooked, but I will try my best to fulfill my role as a wife."
After hearing that Elaine agreed, Lyle took her hand and they left the balcony.
"Where are we going, Lyle-san?"
"We must tell my parents that we will get engaged now. Also your butler."
"T-that's right. It will surely be a surprise."
The first thing they saw upon entering was Bram shouting.
◇◇◇
Minutes before Lyle went out with Elaine, Bram was together with Ada looking for his mother to give them the news.
"My stomach started to hurt."
"Bram-sama, would you like me to bring you a drink?"
"No, I think it's just my imagination."
Bram wanted to tell his mother that Ada agreed to become his wife; he was waiting for it to give him courage, but if he doesn't do it now, he never will.
He took her hand and they looked for Sonya, but then a mysterious girl intercepted them.
"You are Bram of the Bradford house, aren't you?"
The girl was beautiful, with short black hair and a cat-like gaze.
"Huh? Yes, that's me. Do you need something from me?"
"I'm sure you don't remember me, but I am Marceline Van Langland."
"The Langland house was a barony that became a viscounty due to the feats they performed in the war."
"That's right, but my father and my older brother, who were the only men in the family, died and with that the territory passed to me."
"But our territory has debts that my father incurred, so I can't pay them; that's why, after seeing today's battle and how you sacrificed your hand to save the hostages, I realized something."
"What did you realize?"
Asked Bram, thinking that what was coming couldn't be real.
"But my family would be safe if a man like you took my family under your care and me as your wife."
"Huh! Wife!"
Both Ada and Bram were surprised by this.
"Bram, why are you shouting?"
His mother arrived with a tray of food for the guests.
Marceline explained the situation and Sonya handed her tray to a servant by her side.
"Really? I didn't expect something like this to happen, but I'm glad."
"Isn't it wonderful, Bram? This girl wants to marry you; as a mother, it makes me happy that my sons already have partners."
Sonya's happiness was evident, but Bram had other details in mind.
"Wait, Mom," he said. Sonya wondered what was wrong with him as he stared at her.
Bram took Ada's hand and said to her:
"Mom, I love Ada, I want to make her my wife. And I know you would oppose because she doesn't have noble blood nor is she the daughter of a rich merchant."
His mother looked at him with a face that indicated she had just been asked the stupidest thing in the world.
"Bram, are you stupid? You're almost 20 years old and you seriously ask something like that?"
She sighed and pointed her finger at both of them.
"To begin with, I don't have noble blood and I'm not a merchant's daughter either; I'm a village girl who was born here and married the lord of this land."
"And even knowing that, you ask me if you can take this girl as your wife?"
"W-well, yes. Lyle's engagement didn't go through, so I'll need a wife."
"Actually, my dear Bram-kun, that's been solved."
At that moment, Lyle entered, smiling as if he had won.
He showed his hand, which was intertwined with Elaine's.
"Somehow, I did it."
She approached Sonya and bowed her head in repentance.
"I apologize for the disrespect I showed earlier. I hope you forgive me and accept me into your family, M-mother-in-law."
It was a surprise for everyone; at that moment, Walt arrived, drinking wine from an expensive bottle.
"Huh? Lyle? You finally did it?"
"That's my boy. He managed to get a wife through his own effort."
"Yes, I did."
"But wait a moment."
"I doubt the family of an earl would want to lose their power by joining a family of rural barons, so the most logical thing I find is for them to adopt you."
"You'll lose the surname, but we'll be affiliated with the earl."
"Which means the next heir by inheritance is..."
Everyone's gaze now focused on Bram.
"Wait a moment! I already told you I want to make Ada my wife, and if I become the lord of these lands, I would have to let that pass."
His mother pulled his ear, displeased.
"Are you stupid? Did your brain go to your muscles or something?"
"Marceline-chan wants to become your wife, so an opportunity like this won't repeat itself. You would just have to talk to her so she accepts Ada-chan as your concubine."
"But Mom, I don't think..."
"I don't mind," replied Marceline herself.
"In case something happened, it's better to have insurance; besides, I don't think I can compete with the woman for whom Bram-kun risked his life."
"You answer quickly!" Bram added to her response.
Sonya stopped pulling his ear and told him with a smile the words he needed to hear.
"You heard, you can have a wife and Ada-chan too. What do you think about that, Ada-chan?"
Ada herself agreed.
"I-I support it. Besides, it takes a weight off my shoulders because I have no idea how to be Bram-sama's right hand; if Marceline-sama becomes his hands, I will be his legs and that way we can help him."
"You heard, Bram, what do you say?"
Seeing how the world aligned for him to succeed, he couldn't let the opportunity pass.
"I understand. It's something unexpected and unimaginable, but I'll do it."
"Um, Marceline-san. I hope I can spend time with you to get to know you better."
"A-and I also want to get to know better the wife of the man I love."
Marceline, still expressionless, showed the same interest as them.
"I may seem cold, but that's my face. I ask that you act in front of me as you normally do, since from now on I will spend some time with you."
"I must inform my mother first."
"Ahahaha. This day has truly been incredible."
Exclaimed Walt while holding the wine bottle.
"Da-ar-ling. Tell me, where did you get that bottle?"
But his happiness didn't last.
"I told you can't drink wine, your kidneys turn into a red waterfall every time you do!"
"S-Sonya, please be quiet! At least for today, let me, okay?"
"If I let one of your misdeeds pass, you'll do it again in the future!"
She took the bottle from him and Walt fell to the floor crying.
"Sonya, don't do this to me; I'll rub your feet, give you a shoulder massage, but give it back to me."
"I already told you no!"
Everyone watched this usual scene of the Bradford family.
Everyone laughed at the spectacle they were showing.
But, for better or worse, the situation with the Bradford's had just escalated to an unimaginable level for them.
◇◇◇
The winter holidays were about to end.
The month of December as well.
The arrival of summer could be seen from afar.
Rudel, after a few days away, returned home; he was surprised by what he heard.
"Huh? What did you say?"
After arriving at the port, he was received by Bell, who first informed him of what happened in his absence while they boarded the train home.
"Are you kidding!?"
"It's not a joke, all that happened while you were away."
"But especially you, Ixion."
Bell approached Ixion, pressing her green eye against his metallic body.
"How is it that your ship only activates after they attack? Don't you know the problems I had because of you?"
Ixion, uninterested in what she said, replied disinterestedly.
"I said it, didn't I? My ship won't move unless they attack or it detects hostility."
"I didn't expect you to be so foolish as to allow that to happen in the first place."
"It's your fault for being weak."
"You're just an idiot who didn't want to move his ship, aren't you? You didn't care if they attacked the territory, just that they didn't touch your things."
"That's partly true, but, as I said: are you so weak as to allow them to attack you? If so, it wouldn't be worth protecting you."
"Bell... come here."
Rudel had been with his head on his legs for a while.
His expression was one of horror.
"Did all that really happen? You're not lying to me to feel special, are you?"
"Although I love the idea of feeling special, I didn't."
"Master, everything I said was true; Bell-chan saved the day and defeated an invading fleet from abroad."
"I'm more useful, unlike that grumbling good-for-nothing, bitter, stuck-up Ixion."
She told him all that, and Ixion showed clear annoyance.
"Bell... do you want me to remove your speech chip? Or do you prefer I delete your hard drive that contains all your strange recordings?"
"Waah, I'm so sorry!"
She hid behind Rudel.
"It can't be. Bad luck really follows me."
"All that's left is for aliens to attack us while I'm going to the bathroom."
"That would be too surreal even for you."
Finally, they arrived at the station near the mansion.
They took a carriage that was waiting for them and Rudel's mood gradually recovered.
"Even so, I can't believe everything you say, Bell."
"What exactly?"
"About my brothers. I won't believe it until I see it."
"Ho ho ho. The master will be surprised when he sees it."
With those words, the journey to the mansion ended.
Rudel knocked on the door and it was opened by Ada.
"Yes? Who is it? Ah. Young Master Rudel."
"I'm glad to see you back."
"I'm also glad to see you, Ada-san. By the way, I have something to ask."
Rudel approached to whisper to her.
"I just found out that you and my brother Bram just got engaged."
Ada was stunned for a second and then turned red as a tomato.
"Awawawawa!" she made that sound while getting embarrassed.
"I-it's true that we are informally engaged, but it surprises me a lot when it's said."
"Really!?"
"That guy actually did it?!"
Rudel couldn't believe his brothers had taken the initiative.
He entered the house and the first thing he saw was Marceline in a maid outfit and Bram helping her.
"You don't need to do that."
"I still want to help. Since I will belong to this family, I want to earn everyone's approval."
"I'm sure none of us would be offended by what you do."
He immediately ran to the kitchen, where there was laughter.
There he found Lyle cooking with Elaine.
"Is it okay like this?"
"Only if you want to feed a platoon."
"Preparing snacks for dinner is really difficult."
"Don't worry. It will take practice, but you'll be able to do it alone when we have children..."
Upon mentioning that word, both blushed and moved away from each other.
"C-children..."
"That's right... we'll have children one day..."
Said Elaine, embarrassed like a virgin.
"Y-yes. B-by the way, how many would you like?"
"I... would like to have the same number as my brothers and sister."
"That means we'll have to do that a lot..."
The embarrassment in both was so great that the place reeked of the heat they emanated.
Rudel couldn't take it anymore and shouted:
"What the hell is happening here?!"
"I left and everything was wrong, and now I return and it seems like I went to another world."
"Ah, Rudel, you're back."
Said Lyle, returning to normal.
Bram and his wives also entered the kitchen.
Both approached to show off to him.
"You see, Rudel, your older brothers can also get women. It's not something that should surprise you."
"That's right, Rudel. Each will take their separate paths, but that doesn't mean you should cry because your Onii-chan will have wives."
Rudel got angry at their behavior.
"Don't talk about that, stupid Lyle and muscular idiot Bram."
"I was terrified that you wouldn't get wives because I consider you inept."
"What I want to know is, why are you behaving so shyly?"
"Huh?"
Said everyone present.
Rudel pointed at Bram first.
"Bram, you always bragged that women chased you, but you acted like a crying coward when it came to Ada-san."
"And now you tell me you have two wives? I'm sure she took the initiative."
No one denied the fact because that's how it was.
His finger now moved to Lyle.
"Now you, Lyle. You always bragged about your experience with women."
"Now why are you acting like a guy who has never been with a woman? What's with that cowardly behavior?"
"Have you never been with a woman before?"
The respective partners looked at each one.
"Bram-sama was chased by women? That surprises me."
"I didn't expect you to be a womanizer, Bram-sama."
"Lyle-san, do you have experience with women?"
They all looked at them, demanding answers, thinking they were the only ones without it.
The boys, cornered, decided to reveal a truth they would never say in front of Rudel, even dead.
Both shouted in unison:
"It's a lie!"
"I never had experience with a woman before, I just wanted to show off to Rudel!"
"Every time dad wanted to introduce us to some woman, we got scared and ran away, but we didn't want Rudel to make fun of us!"
What they said next would mark them forever:
"I'm still a virgin and I haven't even given a kiss yet!"
They were surprised, but at the same time happy that their respective men had no experience with some unknown woman.
At that moment, Rudel's parents arrived along with Alisa and Airi.
"Rudel, you finally arrived."
"Rudel-san, welcome—"
Rudel began to laugh without noticing them.
"Ahahahahahahahaha!"
"Ahahahahaha."
Rudel's laughter was similar to that of a clown.
"Really? You're not joking?"
His older brothers didn't deny what they said.
That made him laugh even harder.
"Ahahaha, it's incredible. You two are really pathetic."
"So many years lying to me, saying you were real men, and you're just cowards."
Then Rudel said something he should never have said:
"Learn from me, fools. I have reached manhood last year, and you haven't."
"Hahahaha, losers. How does it feel that your younger brother is a man and you're not?"
After hearing those words that didn't seem like a lie, everyone's gazes turned to a certain place.
Rudel turned around and there he saw his parents along with his girlfriends.
Airi's expression was similar to that of a horror movie, with trembling hands but a face red with shame.
"R-R-Rudel-san... how could you...?"
Alisa, on the other hand, didn't cover her face unlike Lucy, who wanted the ground to swallow her.
She was angry.
"Rudel..."
"Wait, you two...! It's not what you think, I was..."
Both approached, very angry with him.
"How dare you tell your family about our intimacy?!"
Both gave Rudel a strong punch and decided to ignore him for the rest of the day.
◇
"Ahahahaha, you're a huge idiot."
"Shut up."
After arriving home, I was received with several surprises, among them, my fiancées giving me a beating for revealing a secret.
I came with Erselica to relieve the stress of being beaten.
But she stressed me out by opening her mouth.
We were in a room having tea along with Ixion.
"It's incredible how you two don't even hide getting together anymore."
"My reputation is on the floor; it doesn't matter what I do or say, it will get worse."
"There, there, Onii-chan, do you want a cookie?"
"I'm not a dog for you to feed me."
I took the cookie anyway and we started talking about what happened to have context for the game.
"So, that sacred kingdom was always an enemy in the game?"
"It was, since it was important for an event, but since it happened through an external mode, it can't be related to the game and didn't involve a certain character."
"Then we don't have to worry about anything?"
"That's right. The matter with them was solved the same day, so there are no threats."
"We can consider the matter closed."
"That's right."
"But even so... to think they would attack us to gain honors and that my family would receive titles from the neighbors."
"My father, a Sage of Destruction for leading an attack that no one knew would happen."
"Bram is the Red Baron for his wounded hand, and finally..."
"Lyle as the Looting Earl for stealing the enemy's trophy."
"That's something I would expect them to tell me, not my family."
Ixion joined our conversation, a bit irritated.
"I'm more interested in the nickname they gave Battler."
"Black Titan, huh?"
"That name is very ugly, change it, please."
"I can't change something the masses decided after seeing him fight so many enemies and defeat the enemy generals."
"I don't care, change it, please. That nickname is in very bad taste for my little one."
"Sounds like a dad angry because they call his son fat at school."
Replied Erselica in a mocking tone; Ixion was irritated.
"Well, we can be happy, right, Erselica?"
"About what exactly?"
"Will we be able to enjoy the academy without complications from the game?"
She took a cookie and spoke cheerfully about it.
"We can be sure it's all over; the requirements for the third game weren't met."
"There's a third game?"
"I thought it was just the remnants of the second game that still existed?"
I asked fearfully and she kept smiling.
"As I said, the requirements weren't met. In the game, to access the third and last content of this game, you had to see a certain event that never happened; since it didn't happen, we can be sure it won't happen here."
"I see, that makes me happy."
"We'll be able to enjoy peace and quiet, Onii-chan."
While enjoying our tranquility, we heard a noise coming from the garden; we looked out the window and saw Felicia dragging Liam from the vegetable garden.
I got so angry with this boy that I went with Erselica so he would stop bothering the maids who are doing their work.
"Stupid prince, what did you do now?"
I asked him angrily.
Liam clung to the ground with all his strength.
"Oh, Rudel, can you tell them to let me go?"
"Your Highness, please return home now; you must prepare for the entrance ceremony and study what you will say."
"Huh? I don't want to. They're just nice words I have to say and that's it."
(This guy is treating ceremonies like a joke.)
I thought, and surely Erselica after hearing this guy.
My family also arrived because of the commotion.
"What's happening here?"
"Rudel, did you do something to His Highness?"
"Of course not, this fool doesn't want to leave the vegetable garden."
"Rudel, don't call the future king of the kingdom stupid."
Lyle made me angry, since because of him my girlfriends hit me.
"This guy is always a fool; he can be your younger brother because you're both fools. The fool Lyle and the fool Liam, they're two of a kind."
"Who are you calling a fool, you blackened broccoli head?"
"Damn Lyle!"
"Damn Rudel!"
We proceeded to hit each other because I couldn't stand this guy.
Then I noticed Liam looking at us with a smile.
"What the hell are you looking at?"
I said while Lyle had his fingers in my mouth and mine in his nose.
"What the hell are you laughing about?"
Liam laughed while still being dragged by the maids.
"Sorry, but I'm jealous of you."
"Jealous of what? That I'm not kicking your ass all day like I do with this idiot?"
"No. I'm talking about your brotherly relationship; it's very enviable."
I let go of Lyle because this fool was now hallucinating.
I got up and pinched his cheeks.
"Listen well, fool, don't fantasize. You don't have brothers; your mother doesn't have other children besides you, so don't lie just to try to escape."
He removed my hands and responded with even more nonsense.
"Actually, yes; I have a sibling."
"He's my half-brother and I also have a younger sister. It's just that our relationship isn't very good."
His joke was bad, but when I saw everyone's expression, including Alisa's, I began to get scared.
"Your Highness, what did you say?"
"Huh? Alicelotte, didn't my mother tell you?"
"O-of course not! If I knew, everyone would know, right?"
Liam himself recognized his mistake.
"Oh, that's right. It was a state secret, the prime minister told me."
"Sorry, pretend you didn't hear this."
(There's no way to turn a deaf ear to a revelation like that!)
That's surely what we all thought, but Liam kept showing me he was disconnected from reality.
"Although, actually, it doesn't matter. My mother informed me that he will go to the academy next year, so you would have known anyway."
I couldn't believe how this guy revealed something as important as having a brother and a sister and was told it was a state secret. But why keep something like that hidden? What would they gain from it?
I looked at Erselica for clues, but her expression was the worst of all.
She was drenched in sweat.
"Erselica, what's wrong?"
I asked because she seemed like she was about to explode.
"Come with me!"
She took my hand and we went inside to the same room.
After arriving, I asked her why she was so worked up.
"What's wrong with you? Why are you like this?"
"Onii-chan, did you hear what Liam said?"
"About him having a secret brother and sister? Yes, and what about it?"
"Is that a bad thing?"
(Actually, it's strange that we didn't know something like that before. Considering the kind of scum Leonis is, he could have more than one secret child.)
Trembling, she told me words that began to scare even me.
"That's why it's a bad thing."
"Do you remember what I told you before? The requirements for the third game to start?"
"Yes? Why did you—?"
Then my brain reacted to what she was trying to say.
I took Erselica by her chubby cheeks firmly.
"Hey! Please tell me it's not what I think you're going to say!"
She, still with her cheeks squished, replied.
"The requirement for the third game is to discover that Liam has siblings; after that revelation, you'll reach the end of that story and the worst of all."
"Because Liam's brother hates him a lot and, as the school year progresses, a rivalry is sown between them which will explode into a war for the throne."
"A war for the throne, you say?!"
I want to faint.
This shouldn't be happening or something I should know.
"That's not the worst," she said, and I, also scared, asked forcefully, "There's more?"
And she, with tears in her eyes, said the worst news of all.
"At the end of the year, after the war for the throne, the empire will attack the kingdom because it was declared its enemy."
"Next year we'll have the two worst wars we could ask for!"
"Nooooooooooo!"
We both screamed in horror upon learning that.
"This isn't over! It has only continued to get worse."
"Ah, ah, ah! I don't want to get into another war, Onii-chan."
"When will we have a peaceful life free from that annoying game?"
"It's interesting the synchronicity you have to show how horrible your situation is."
After learning this, I don't want the next school year to come.
Please don't come and stay forever in December!
◇◇◇
The sacred kingdom had entered into crisis.
After Findor killed the current king and took the throne, it was the first unprecedented crisis.
But then they learned from a fleet of the kingdom that Findor had been defeated by the Bradford family.
With this, the Sacred Kingdom of Valhanna, once considered the pinnacle of demihumans, was between a rock and a hard place because nobles and officials, representing the palace, came to impose order.
The country had lost its best warriors; it could do nothing but bow its head and, with that, without having Rudel in charge, the kingdom was able to take over another country.
General Algren was sent home and was now in the bedroom of a certain person.
After losing the current king and the next, since Findor hated the idea of giving up power, the family that came next took power.
He narrated what happened to a certain person.
A beautiful girl with pink hair and pointy ears was sitting on a window seat, watching as ships from the kingdom built an embassy in their port.
Her long hair smelled like strawberries and her strands swayed with the soft wind coming through the window.
"Huh, so that's what happened?"
"Y-yes. That's my report, Princess. May I withdraw?"
"Answer me, General Algren," she said with a beautiful voice similar to that of a forest nymph. "Why did you return alive? Weren't you supposed to be loyal to Findor nii-sama?"
She didn't need to look at him, just raise her voice and have him answer was enough.
But with those words, he felt a chill he had never felt before.
It was pure fear.
The woman before him was more frightening than an enemy pointing a rifle at his head.
"Y-you're right, I should have died! But they rescued me and I couldn't do anything."
"Huh, that's how it was."
"Then tell me..."
She finally turned to look at him.
Her beautiful peach-colored eyes fixed on him.
She had a beautiful face similar to an angel's.
But for the ex-general, that beautiful face represented that of a demon.
He was about to wet himself and sat on the floor begging for his life.
"I'm so sorry, Your Highness!"
"It was my fault! I couldn't guarantee victory, even after His Excellency's death."
"That's right. You're useless."
"I'm useless, as you say!"
"You should quit your job forever."
"...!"
Upon hearing that "request," Algren could only nod sadly.
"It's as you say, I'll resign now because I'm useless!"
"Get out of my sight."
"Thank you for your mercy!"
He ran out of the place and finally wet himself while running.
The pink-haired girl remained in the same position as before.
"Ojou. Are you all right?"
"The country has just fallen into the hands of the kingdom."
Said a young woman with a sword hanging from her waist; her hair was silver and both her ears and tail were those of a canine.
"What are you talking about?"
"It went exactly as I wanted," she said happily, making hearts on the window.
"Really? It doesn't seem like it to me."
"It's because you're a silly puppy."
"I was the one who suggested to Findor nii-sama that he go fight the one who defeated the supreme kingdom. Of course, what happened before wasn't my fault."
"I'm not a demon woman who wants to kill her own relatives, am I?"
"Please say that while looking in the mirror."
Replied the woman with a dog tail, who was pinched by the pink-haired girl.
"You're cruel; I'll punish you for that."
"It hurts, it hurts a lot, please stop."
"Say it like you really mean it."
"Well, continuing."
"Everything you see outside, I also planned it. So my family could take power and thus achieve my true objective."
"And what is that?"
Answering her bodyguard's question, the elf girl smiled.
It was a beautiful smile, but full of very dubious intent.
"Because that way I can go to the kingdom and establish a bond with him."
"With the hero of the kingdom, ufufu."
"I'm looking forward to our romantic meeting, Rudel-sama."
The girl had a photo of Rudel in her notebook, but it wasn't the only place; her entire room was full of photos of him taken in the republic.
No one had any idea that the villainous princess of the sacred kingdom would be interested in Rudel.
"I look forward to the new school year."
The third school year, and the beginning of the third game, were about to begin.
______________
Volume 8 finished.
Arc of "The Secret of the Bradford Household", completed.
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I hope you liked the volume and the unexpected surprises.
We're not done yet, we still have a few stories to conclude in this volume.
The fanservice in this ending is for the brothers' wives.
Elaine: https://danbooru.donmai.us/posts/6282634?q=millia_rage
Ada: https://danbooru.donmai.us/posts/8088090?q=kasumi_%28doa%29+
Marceline: https://danbooru.donmai.us/posts/8648144?q=ulrich_von_hutten_%28azur_lane%29+
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Here is the Mega link where you can see the chapters with illustrations in PDF format, as well as the characteristics of the characters and armor: https://mega.nz/folder/75wTzA4b#W-_qGvlSP9miCm1jpk54IQ