Volume 8, Chapter 1 “Matchmaking”

Part 1

Arrived at the port of Baron Bartfalt.

The harbor is now more crowded than it was a few years ago, as it has been upgraded to allow large airships to enter and exit the harbor.

Before I entered the school, it was a small port, much more desolate than it is now.

It makes me happy to see it developing so much.

“There is an unfamiliar airship”

Visible from the deck of the Einhorn was a luxurious airship docked in the harbor.

It was not an airship owned by my family, nor was it a merchant ship with which I was normally associated.

The family crest is clearly visible on the overly decorated airships favored by the nobility.

Ange, who was also on the deck, was squinting at the family crest.

“It’s the Roseblade House”

“Deirdre-senpai, huh?”

My house has no connection to the Roseblade house, so if they were to come, it would be Deirdre Fou Roseblade.

She is two years older than me and has already graduated from school.

She is a unique girl, a picture-perfect blonde-haired, blue-eyed young lady.

She has long hair in a vertical roll, likes to be flashy, and is always sparkling.

Because she is actually a Countess, she is a real lady.

However, I’m not good with her because of her personality.

She’s not a bad person, so I’ll at least have tea with her.

She was supposed to be working as an envoy in a kingdom that was currently short-staffed.

What would such a senior want with me?

I don’t think she had any business at my parents’ house. Did she come all the way here to see me?

Originally, I was supposed to be in the royal capital ―― but as I was pondering this, Ange let out a small sigh.

She seemed to have an attitude that said, ‘This is too much trouble’.

“Roseblade family has moved?”

“Eh?”

When I don’t understand, Ange gives me a simple explanation.

“Think carefully. Not many people know that Leon is going back to your parents’ house. It wasn’t that the Roseblade family had been out ahead of us, but normally you would think that the Roseblade family is visiting the Bartfalt house on business, wouldn’t you?”

Hearing that, Livia claps her hands as if she was convinced.

“That’s right when you say it.”

It was good that Livia understood, but I still had my doubts.

How did the Roseblade, a Count house, end up in a countryside house of Baron?

Seeing that I wasn’t convinced, Ange seemed to know something but hesitated to answer.

“Well, I wonder what they are doing here”

.

Part 2

“I’m home ~”

When I got back to my parents’ house, I opened the front door with a carefree voice and went inside.

Even though it’s a Baron’s mansion, my parents’ house is in the remote countryside.

It has nothing to do with a formal atmosphere.

Such a family home was filled with an unusual atmosphere.

Is it that the air is different?

It feels more tense than usual.

One of the maids noticed that we had returned and rushed over to us in a hurry.

The one who showed a disqualified attitude for a maid was the elf, Yumeria-san.

“W-Welcome back! I’m so sorry. We were, ano, busy, so we couldn’t welcome you back.”

Seeing her hurriedly bow her head, the eyes of the maids who were waiting behind Ange became somewhat more severe.

Cordelia-san said, “You haven’t changed, have you?” She was a little astonished but seemed to be happy to see her again.

“You have a visitor, right? Deirdre-senpai?”

When I confirmed who the guest was, Yumeria-san nodded heavily several times.

“Y-Yes! A-Ano, that! I-It’s matchmaking talk!”

” ―― Ha?”

When I suddenly hear about matchmaking, for a moment I imagine matchmaking between myself and Deirdre-senpai.

“I’m on matchmaking? No, I have Ange and Livia!”

When I hurriedly said I couldn’t, Luxion interrupted and tattled.

You also have Noelle?

“Shut up for now. ―― Anyway, it’s a problem if they suddenly call me for matchmaking.”

I glanced at Ange and Livia behind me, but they seemed to be calmer than I was.

Arere? They don’t mind if I go on matchmaking?

I was expecting them to be angry, but their reaction was different from what I expected, which confused me.

Yumeria-san was tilting her head in front of me.

“Eh? What are you talking about?”

“So it’s matchmaking between me and Deirdre-senpai, right?”

When I questioned her about it, Yumeria-san looked troubled.

―― Is it wrong? Just when I thought that, a woman appears, wearing high-heeled shoes and making a clacking sound.

She was too dazzlingly dressed for a countryside mansion and looked out of proportion to the surrounding scenery.

“Ara-Ara, I’m so pleased with your enthusiastic offer.”

“Senpai?”

The one there was Deirdre-senpai, with her fan opened and covered her mouth.

However, there was a wicked smile in her eyes.

She’s laughing at my misunderstanding.

When Ange stepped in front of me, she put her hands on her hips and faced Deirdre-senpai.

“Long time no see. So, is it you, Deirdre, who’s going on the matchmaking with Nix-dono?”

The mention of Nix’s name was the first time I realized that my brother Nix was going on matchmaking.

―― I’m a little embarrassed that I jumped the gun so quickly.

Luxion is looking at me with red lenses as I blush a little, but I’ll ignore him.

Deirdre-senpai folds up her fan and replies with a wicked smile.

“It’s not me. It’s my big sister, Dorothea, who’s will become a partner of Nix-dono.”

“Dorothea of all people”

Ange, who had a stern look a moment ago, showed a subtle expression.

From what she just said and the expression on her face, it seems that Dorothea-san is quite a problem.

Deirdre-senpai also averted her gaze from Ange, so she must have something on her mind.

“She’s a beautiful woman, even from me, her little sister’s point of view.”

“No one is complaining about her appearance.”

She seemed to be a beautiful woman from Deirdre-senpai’s point of view, but from their reactions, I couldn’t help but feel that she had some kind of problem other than her looks.

.

Part 3

When I walked into the room where my dad and Nix were, they were both holding their hands over their heads.

Their gestures are so similar that I feel a blood connection.

I dare to speak in a cheerful voice for the two who have a heavy atmosphere.

“Onii-chan, congratulations!”

I teased them lightly, and they both looked up and glared at me.

The timing and even the look on their face are very similar.

My father complains as if yelling.

“What do you mean, “Congratulations”! Do you even understand this situation!?”

I sat down on the sofa in my room, shrugging my shoulders at the sight of my father, who was red-faced and angry.

I sat down next to Nix and rested my body against the backrest.

“Isn’t it just a joke?”

“I can’t laugh at that joke.”

Unsuccessfully trying to lighten the mood, I turn my attention to Nix.

“Dorothea-san, right? Does aniki know what kind of person she is?”

Dorothea-san, the older sister of Deirdre-senpai, was apparently a third-year student when Nix was a freshman at the school. That means she’s four years older than me.

Therefore, the other was not acquainted at the school.

When I asked Nix if he knew, he put his hand over his mouth and made a difficult expression.

“I’ve seen her a few times at school. But I’m in the regular class and she’s a countess in the advanced class. I didn’t expect to get involved, so I don’t know any of the details.”

Nix prefaced his speech with “just” and then told me a story about that time.

“She was a hard person to get close to. The advanced class people were also distant, and I think the number of followers was small for a Countess.”

“A cool beauty?”

For Nix, who was in the regular class, Dorothea-san, who was in the advanced class, would be a tall order.

“I guess so. She was a beautiful person, but she seemed cold and unapproachable?”

“If she is beautiful, then it’s fine, right.”

“You idiot! I’m the heir of a Baron and she’s the daughter of a Count! It’s not balanced. The Count’s daughter is going to marry into this house. It doesn’t make sense!?”

From our point of view, the daughter of the prestigious Roseblade house is an existence above the clouds.

It’s true that we are also noblemen with titles, but if I were to compare us to a previous life, we would be a small business running a small business in the countryside.

On the other hand, they’re a big company that everyone knows in the city, I thought?

It’s definitely not a good match, and if I were in Nix’s shoes, I’d walk away from this matchmaking.

“What if you refuse?”

I asked a simple question, but I also understood that this was impossible.

In a previous life, we could have simply said no, but in this world, it’s a different story.

The other party is a higher rank. Moreover, this time, the other side is willing to take the risk.

It was my father who answered my obvious question.

“It is impossible, of course. We’re dealing with a prestigious Count house.”

Unlike a house like ours, that one has power, wealth ―― and military might.

If we refuse, it means that their face has been smeared with mud.

The Count’s family went to the trouble of asking the Baron’s family for matchmaking, only to have the proposal rejected ―― a laughing matter in noble society.

I try to act cheerful to lighten the atmosphere a little.

“I’m a Marquis now.”

“It’s still an act of slandering the other party’s face. In the first place, why would the Count house do such a thing? What do they expect from a countryside nobleman like us?”

Dad and Nix are both scratching their heads in question.

Normally, this matchmaking story itself would be impossible.

If they succeeded, it would still be better, but if they failed, the Roseblade house would be the laughing stock of noble society for a while.

In every world, there are people who want to laugh at other people.

The Roseblade house would not expect this matchmaking to be rejected.

If we refuse, they will surely retaliate.

The Count house asked for it, and the Baron family refuses! ―― like that.

That’s absurd from our point of view, the Bartfalt family.

It’s a problem because it can be allowed.

But under normal circumstances, this would never have happened.

This matchmaking itself is so irregular that both my father and Nix are having trouble and holding their heads.

“Is it a matchmaking or a face-to-face meeting? And then you get married.”

I mumble, and Nix replies with a hanging head.

“That’s right. I didn’t think I could have a free marriage. But this is too much, isn’t it? I ―― I would have preferred a more relaxed marriage like Dad.”

Dad and Mom are a picture-perfect couple.

Noticing my father’s gaze, I turn my head.

“Why are you staring at me?”

“Do you know the story about me being suspected of cheating because of you?”

“What? Eh, did dad have an affair? You’re the worst.”

When I imagine my father cheating, my outraged father shouts out.

“I don’t want to be told to you!”

Dad started to tell me that he was suspected of cheating, and I was surprised that I was responsible for it.

I don’t want you to blame others.

When he is angry at a suspicion he doesn’t remember, Nix lets out a sigh and then explains the situation to me.

“You were in the royal capital as soon as you came back from studying abroad. I don’t think you know what’s going on in our house, but couples don’t get along well right now.”

“Because dad was suspected of cheating?”

I looked at my dad, thinking what a horrible guy he was, and saw him cross his arms and shake his legs in frustration.

“Whose fault do you think it was that I was suspected? It’s all your fault.”

“You can’t blame me for everything”

“It’s your fault this time, too!”

When I looked at Nix, thinking that Dad couldn’t be talked out of it, I saw that he had his hand on his forehead and was looking up at the ceiling.

“You lived with Marie when you studied abroad, didn’t you?”

“Circumstances forced me to do it. I even got permission from Ange and Livia.”

“I’m surprised those two agreed to it. But at that time, we sent Yumeria-san to you, didn’t we? That’s when Mom told her to keep an eye on you.”

“I heard. I’m such a serious guy, and it’s sad that my family doubted me.”

I’m sad that my family doesn’t believe me.

Even in my previous life, my parents trusted my sister more than me.

Is this life the same, or why am I so not trusted?

When I shake my head and say, ‘yare-yare’, both Dad and Nix narrow their eyes and give me a cold stare.

“This is what Yumeria-san told us. You seem to have been called aniki by Marie?”

“―― Eh?”

I was convinced that I was innocent, but apparently, it had been a misunderstanding.

Dad hit the table with his hand repeatedly to protest.

“Thanks to you, I was suspected of having an affair with the Wife of Lafan House! And I heard that the daughter of one of the Republic’s great nobles called you her brother! I’m more than willing to find out what the hell is going on!”

I got a cold sweat.

For Marie’s part, I was called aniki on a daily basis at the Republic mansion.

I didn’t think they’d hear about her carelessness.

And then there is Louise-san, which is very complicated to explain.

“No, Marie is that, you know. Like a step-sibling? Look, we’re not related by blood, but I was like a big brother to her. And Louise-san, she said that I looked like her dead brother. Yeah, it’s just a misunderstanding.”

Apparently, Yumeria-san had dutifully reported everything to Mom.

Because of that, the Bartfalt house seems to be on edge at the moment.

―― I’m certainly not uninvolved.

“I-I’m sorry. I’ll apologize to Mom. It’s impossible for Dad to have an affair, right? If you think calmly about it, there’s no way Marie and Louise-san are Dad’s children.”

“I said it too! I told her, but it would be hard to prove it!”

Dad has a vague memory of that time, and he seems to be unable to deny everything in an orderly fashion.

It’s impossible ―― but he can’t get the evidence together.

In the first place, it is difficult to call the person in question and ask what happened.

Marie’s parents’ house is disappearing in all sorts of messes.

They did not participate in the war with the Principality of Fannouse, and fled, only to be destroyed.

Louise-san is also impossible.

The Republic is busy with reconstruction, but it is not possible to summon a great nobleman from another country because of the family problems of the Bartfalt family.

“Why is this happening to me? Ruth avoids me when I talk to her, and the Roseblade House is offering me matchmaking ―― What did I do? What did I do to deserve this”

I felt so sorry when I saw my dad dropping his head in his chair.

“Somehow, I’m sorry. Yes, as an apology I’ll ruin aniki’s matchmaking for you.”

I wondered what I could do to help my family, so I decided to let the matchmaking fail.

Both Dad and Nix look at my suggestion with suspicion.

Nix seems to be worried that I’m going to screw something up.

“Did you hear what we said? We’re in a position where we can’t say no.”

“I have a good idea. We don’t have to say no to them, they just have to say no.”

“They’ll refuse? Is that possible?”

“Leave it to me”

I’m ashamed to admit that I’ve been a repeated failure at tea parties at the school.

I know from experience what will make the women of the kingdom uncomfortable.

I’ve made many unsuccessful attempts to invite women to tea parties for marriage.

In other words, I’m an expert at making mistakes when it comes to matchmaking.

“I’m a man who has failed at many tea parties at the school. It’s hard to succeed, but I’m good at failing.”

Dad had found hope, and his hips were raised off the couch.

“That’s a pathetic line, but it’s certainly the only time I can count on you! Also, Leon, you’ll have to explain the situation to your mother later.”

“Think you’re in a great boat. I’m going to ruin aniki’s matchmaking.” (Note: metaphor for gaining a reliable foundation and be in a safe condition)

Nix gave me a complicated look, but accepted that it would be fine if the Count’s daughter didn’t become his wife.

“That’s right. If Dorothea-senpai refuses, this matter will be over. For once, I’ll reluctantly rely on you”

I’m concerned about the thorny way they both talk, but I’ll do my best for the family.

“Leave it to me. I never fail.”

Are? Should I have said there’s only failure here?

.

Part 4

At that time.

Leon’s mother, Ruth, was visiting the guest room of the mansion.

Now a woman is using the room.

“I can understand what Barkas is saying. He was very busy at that time, so he didn’t have time to play. But I can’t say it never happened, because Barkas went to the royal capital many times.”

While wiping away tears with a handkerchief, the person to whom Ruth complained was Noelle Jill Lespinasse.

Her hair was in a gradient of gold and pink, and Noelle had tied it up in a side ponytail on the right side.

Her yellow eyes gazed gently at Ruth, her normally lively face now serious as she listened to her story.

Noelle was living at Leon’s parents’ house.

Noelle is currently using a wheelchair, but has recently undergone rehabilitation.

With the support of Luxion and Creare, she was recovering well.

The reason why Ruth is visiting Noelle’s room is to have her listen to her complaints.

Noelle put on a cheerful voice to cheer up the anxious Ruth.

“I’m sure it’s okay!”

(Having said that, I’ve also seen Marie-chan calling Leon ‘aniki’ a few times. At first, I thought they were really brother and sister.)

Although she told Ruth that it would be fine, inwardly Noelle was a little worried.

Although Leon and Marie’s appearance was not similar, she still had the feeling that they had something in common. The atmosphere and the distance between them made it hard to believe that they were strangers.

In fact, she was surprised to find out later that they were unrelated.

With that in mind, she comforted the wife of the Bartfalt house who was taking care of her ―― her future mother-in-law.

“He’s not the kind of person who can lie to Mother-in-law.”

From Noelle’s point of view, it didn’t even look like Barkas was lying.

Ruth wiped away her tears.

“Thank you, Noelle-chan. I’m so happy that Noelle-chan is going to be Leon’s wife.”

“E-Etto ―― the third, though.”

Ruth’s expression darkens as she sees Noelle forcing a smile.

The third part made her feel responsible, as his mother.

“I really don’t know how this could have happened. I think Angelica-sama and Livia-chan are both good girls. But because of the status. Livia-chan gets nervous when I approach her. In the first place, it never crossed my mind that Leon would marry the three girls. “

Ruth’s worries ―― It’s not just about Leon, it’s about her distance between Ange and Livia.

Ange is a genuine young lady, and from Livia’s point of view, Ruth is the wife of a noble.

Inevitably, Livia gets more nervous and creates more distance.

They hadn’t really gotten to know each other, and Ruth seemed to feel closer to Noelle, who was easy to talk to. She could not ask for advice or complain in this way, nor could she do so to Ange or Livia.

“Even though I was born in a respectable family, but I was raised as a commoner, you know?”

“I was raised the same way. I’m a legitimate wife now, but I didn’t really come from a background that would make me a baroness.”

Perhaps it was a good match for the lively Noelle, but the two of them got to know each other and talked often.

Lately, Ruth has been more proactive in talking to her.

“Thanks to that, children’s education is just a problem ―― “

“Noelle-neechaaan!”

Just as Ruth was about to bring up the subject of children, the door was violently opened and Colin burst into the room.

A young boy with black hair and a childish look with teary eyes asks Noelle for help.

“What’s wrong, Colin?”

Noelle catches Colin in a hug.

Ruth scolded him for it, but Noelle was not concerned, so she said, “It’s okay,” and gently patted Colin on the back.

She gently stroked Colin’s back.

“What happen today?”

“Finley-neechan is terrible! She eats my candy and doesn’t apologize. She says it’s not her fault that she ate it, and I guess she’s irritated by that or something, because she takes it out on me.”

Hearing that, Ruth let out a small sigh.

“That girl is, good grief. But Colin, you can’t do that either. You can’t bother Noelle-chan like that.”

“Mom too, you’re always consulting with Noelle-neechan, right?”

“T-That and this is not the same thing!”

Listening to the family’s conversation, Noelle felt a little sad.

(If my parents were still alive, would we have been able to have this conversation?)

Noelle doesn’t have any good memories of her parents.

But then again, maybe ―― just maybe, could she have had a normal life like this? Noelle patted Colin’s head roughly as she faced the warm home she wanted to have.

“You’re a boy, right. You need to be more firm.”

“Both Finley-neechan and Jenna-neechan are scary when they get angry. Leon-niichan also runs away when they get angry. Leon-niichan is a hero of the country and he’s supposed to be strong, but he can’t beat his sisters.”

To Colin, a child, Leon is a hero and admiration of the country.

However, even such a Leon could not beat Jenna and Finley ―― or so he thought.

“Un, maybe Leon will run away.”

Noelle nodded, imagining Leon running away from the two sisters, and Ruth put her hand on her cheek and looked convinced.

“He runs away from trouble, you know. Is that a good thing or a bad thing?”

If he was really good at what he did, he could have avoided the situation of being made a marquis.

His mother, Ruth, understood this very well.

Noelle brings her face closer to Colin’s.

“Don’t worry. When Leon gets serious, neither of them could stand a chance. Ask him next time. If Colin tells him, I’m sure he’ll scold both of them.”

If it was a request from his precious brother, Leon would be prepared to challenge his sisters.

“Or do you want me to tell them directly?”

“I-I’m fine!”

Before Colin knew it, his face was bright red, and he raised his hands in the air in front of Noelle.

“I’m going to scold them properly! Noelle-neechan, just watch me!”

“Good boy”

Noelle’s praise made Colin look very happy.

But when Ruth saw Colin, she smiled a little sadly at him.

.

Part 5

After the meeting with Dad and Nix, I came to one of the rooms in the mansion.

As usual, Luxion is by my side, but today Ange and Livia are with me.

The reason I gathered the three of us together was to discuss the matchmaking with the Roseblade house.

“You’re going to screw up Nix-dono’s matchmaking? Leon, are you serious?”

“Yes”

After all the trouble I’ve caused my family, I’m going to give them a serious hand this time.

Livia looks worried.

“Is it really okay? It’s brother-in-law’s matchmaking, right?”

“He doesn’t like it, you know. Nix says she’s a beautiful woman who’s hard to get close to. Also, he said if the Count’s daughter became his wife, he’d afraid of her.”

“Even though she’s beautiful, but he doesn’t want her?”

“Because there are various things for men.”

At first, the boys at the school go for the beautiful girls, but gradually they switch to focus on personality.

The reason? Because even if the face is good, if the personality is terrible, it’s tiresome.

Beautiful women should be dealt with by men with wealth and power.

The ideal is a woman who looks good and has a good inside.

――Oya? This is about Ange and Livia? Noelle falls under that category, too.

It seems I was one of the very few winners.

“It’s more about personality than looks. Let’s get Dorothea-san, who seems to be a problem child, to shake off Nix. That way, we can smear each other’s faces and draw this case to a close. It’s all going to work out, right?”

It shouldn’t be a problem if I fail! I asked Ange to confirm.

I’m a man who has made many selfish decisions that have failed me.

So, this time, I sought the help of Ange, who was well versed in noble society.

And Ange, she looks a little happier.

“Indeed, if Dorothea refuses, I’m sure it will be as Leon says. If we succeed, the Roseblade house will not retaliate.”

Ange’s approval was given.

However, Livia put her finger to her lips and raised her face slightly.

“Leon-san is a marquis, and Ange is here, so why are they trying to touch us? It was the other side that brought the idea to us in the first place, wasn’t it? I think it’s inevitable that she would reject him.”

Why can’t we just refuse like normal? Ange smiled and replied to Livia’s comment.

“A good argument, but the Count’s face would be ruined if his daughter was rejected as a bride. As a nobleman, he can’t keep quiet.”

“Is that how it is?”

“In a noble society, if you’re underestimated, you’re finished. But if it’s Leon’s plan, it will end up destroying the face of the Roseblade house.”

“Eh? They are still going to be angry?”

“After offering matchmaking, if his own daughter refused to marry him, the Roseblade house would be laughing stocks. When it was his own daughter who suggested the idea and made it fail, he would only be laughed at more if he complained. If that happens, maybe they’ll just pretend the whole matchmaking thing never happened.”

When I saw Ange looking happy for some reason, I knew that my idea was more effective than I thought.

“R-Right? No, I thought it was a brilliant move too.”

When I try to cover it up by smiling, Luxion interrupts me as usual.

Do you think Master would think that much? If the other party refuses, then the matchmaking talk will have never happened ―― that’s the extent of his thinking. He didn’t think that deeply about it.

He blabbered on about my feelings without my permission.

“If you know how I feel, you’d better shut up about it. If you don’t tell them, I’ll look like an intelligent man, right? You need to be more careful.”

I’ll be careful when I feel like it.

You told Ange before that you’d ‘take the appropriate action’, but when it comes to me you said that? Isn’t this guy really taking me lightly?

“Anyway, I feel bad for the Roseblade house, but I want this whole matchmaking thing to fail.”

Livia does not seem to be on board.

“Is it really okay to let it fail? I think it’s disrespectful to them, and I think we should talk about it first.”

Gentle Livia insisted that Nix and Dorothea-san should talk to each other first.

Ange didn’t deny it, but she didn’t affirm it either.

“They marry each other for the sake of the house, not because they like each other. A relationship like ours is a rare one. I don’t know what will happen if they talk.”

Just as Nix couldn’t turn down this offer, Dorothea-san was unlikely to turn it down due to her house’s situation.

But for Nix’s sake, I’m going to let this matter fail.

I’m sorry to Deirdre-senpai, but my family comes first.

Luxion will confirm the situation.

The Roseblade house is well prepared. They’ve already put Dorothea on the airship. As soon as she’s ready, they’ll set up a meeting. Is there anything I need to prepare for you before then?

“That’s right ―― Could get you a collar?”

When I mentioned the collar, both Ange and Livia went expressionless.

Luxion also shows a gesture of “Master is saying strange things again”.

But the collar is also a very important item to make the matchmaking fail.

.

Part 6

Bartfalt territory port.

On the deck of the Roseblade house’s airship, which was docked, there was a figure of Dorothea.

Dorothea, gazing out over the Bartfalt territorial harbor from the deck, kept the servants around her at a distance with a nonchalant expression.

Then Deirdre arrives, having boarded the airship from the landing ramp.

“Onee-sama, the talk is settled.”

” ―― So”

Like Deirdre, Dorothea is a blonde-haired, blue-eyed woman with long, silky, straight hair.

Her clothes, unlike Deirdre’s, were dressed in a simple and elegant manner. She was a woman who did not like ornaments, preferring simple designs.

But right now, she is playing with her beautiful hair with her fingertips with no expression.

Her attitude conveyed her lack of interest in the Bartfalt family and the people she was visiting.

Deirdre shrugged her shoulders in astonishment.

“Onee-sama, this one-time Tou-sama will not allow you to refuse.”

“I understand.”

Dorothea’s gaze is downward, and her attitude is dubious as to whether she really understands.

But, for once, she asks Deirdre about her partner.

“So, what kind of man is my partner?”

Deirdre is a little dazed and troubled, but talks about Nix.

“I’m sure you’ve been informed beforehand.”

“I want to know the evaluation from Deirdre’s perspective.”

” ―― Put in a better way, he’s serious person. Put in a worse way, he is an unremarkable older brother who hides behind his younger brother. But I suppose it can’t be helped when the younger brother is such a hero.”

Compared to Leon, who ran rampant in the Kingdom of Horfalt and the Republic of Arzel, his older brother, Nix, would seem rather plain.

However, Dorothea seemed even less interested.

She looked blankly into the distance.

“Boring man”

Deirdre let out a small sigh, tapped her shoulder a few times with her fan, and looked at Dorothea’s profile.

“I’m also in trouble with Onee-sama’s high hopes.”

Dorothea folded her arms under her large breasts and looked into the distance without replying.