Chapter 5 – The Battle for Succession

 

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Well, as it said, they will gather allies for their faction, but they all know that it is not easy.

After all, the relationships they build during our school days will continue into the future.

Because of this, they will be even more careful, and this time is a bit unusual.

It is good to recruit people, but if they are not careful, they may end up getting them involved by jumping on the losing horse.

Therefore, the other party will also have to be careful────Of course, the one who is being the most careful is Luna.

When one thinks about someone who is considerate, dependable, and unlikely to betray even after becoming close, it’s difficult to find the right person.

On the other hand, if there are people who want to join a faction, they are aiming for Luna’s position. It is obvious from the people who flocked to them as soon as they entered the school.

What makes it difficult likely lies more on their side than the other person’s.

That is why Adele and the others are prepared for a hard battle in gathering allies────

“Eh,  it’s totally fine if you wanna join the Big Sister faction~”

…or so they intended to do.

“Um, are you sure, Mil-sama?”

The time and place changed to the next day after school.

Adele accompanied Elesia and Luna, the person involved, to the training grounds used by the Knight Club.

The training grounds were filled with students training as usual, swinging their swords. Among them was Raiga, the son of a duke, swinging his sword with them, and it seemed he had properly obtained Mil’s permission to join the club.

However, this time he had come not to observe, but to meet Mil.

That is, he wanted to recruit Mil, who is strong, has no family problems, does not belong to any faction, and although he has a bit of a problem with his personality, he is not the type of person to betray others.

Well, he had gone there and explained the situation to them, and had immediately received a favorable response. However, it was a bit disappointing.

“It’s fine! A-kun hugged me and said, ‘I love you, Mil-onee-chan♡’ and gave me a kiss on the cheek!”

However, it seems there was a disappointing sacrifice.

“Ugh… I can’t become a husband anymore.”

“Thank you, Adele… Umm, if that was the case, I… could you… <3”

Meanwhile, Adele was crouching on the ground, with a great deal of emotional damage.

Luna, stroking his back, looked a little flushed.

Even though they were talking in the corner of the training ground so as not to get in the way, the two of them were quite conspicuous.

“Well, I guess I also simply wanted to join the same faction as A-kun.”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, I don’t want something strange to happen and put me at odds with A-kun. And… A-kun always runs away, so I want to keep an eye on him.”

I see. Elesia looked at Adele with a slight twitch in her cheeks.

Adele and Mil are in different grades. Therefore, once she graduates from the academy, the only chance they’ll have to see each other will be at home.

If Adele graduates from the academy and the Black Knights’ affairs don’t die down, then given his personality, he’ll most likely choose to run away.

If that happens, there’s a high chance that Mil will lose any way or connections to meet Adele.

That wouldn’t be good for her sister, or for the Astia Marquis family. After all, it would mean losing a talented, exceptional child prodigy.

If that’s the case, she wants to maintain some kind of relationship.

This is probably what Mil meant by “monitoring.”

“Ah, um…”

As the two of them were talking, Luna, who had finished stroking, turned to Mil.

She then bowed vigorously.

“Thank you, Mil-san! For joining my faction!”

“All right♪ Don’t worry, it’s okay, you have a good side to you, so you’re joining my faction, big sister~?”

Good riddance, she said. Mil hugged Luna and stroked her head.

Luna was overwhelmed, thinking, “The Black Knight’s sister is giving me headpats…?!”

“If that’s the case, should I invite Lloyd too? She’s still a bit of a loser who thinks, ‘being alone is cool!’, so I think he’ll at least lend me his name.”

“Lloyd’s the same as always.”

“……”

What kind of person is he? Luna wondered, imagining it for a moment and became curious.

At that moment, Adele finally seemed to have come to terms with reality, as he stood up and joined the conversation.

“Okay, let’s erase that from our memory!”

“Then, do it again, this time with a kiss on the lips!”

“Don’t mess with me, that’s a line that siblings shouldn’t cross!!!”

She was a merciless older sister in many ways.

“Master.”

However, as Adele made that remark, Elesia pulled his sleeve.

“What? I don’t want you to ask me to do it again! I’ve fulfilled my promise, so I absolutely—”

“I want you to do it to me”

“…… Pardon?”

“I want you to do it to me”

Elesia looks at him longingly.

Adele freezes for a moment when he hears this, then immediately begins to press his eyes.

“Okay… Listen, Elesia. You can’t just ask for a kiss as if it were a punishment game. A girl’s first time is precious, so you should cherish it like you’re a little bird—”

“It’s ok if it’s master”

“……”

“It’s ok if it’s master”

Adele freezes again.

Is the dissatisfaction due to the lack of action, or the lack of a response?

Elesia puffs out her cheeks and continues to tug on Adele’s sleeve.

Looking at the two of them like that—-

“Okay, Luna? When you marry A-kun, you’ll have to discuss who will be the first wife, right?”

“Eh!?”

Mil was whispering something to Luna.

Luna blushed at her, but Adele was too busy processing her partner’s requests to notice.

 

 

Gathering companions is important, but the first step is to set up a salon.

In order to set up a salon, you have to apply to the school and get permission.

There seem to be various criteria for getting permission, but Adele, who had no interest at all, had no way of knowing about it.

That’s why he decided to leave that aspect to Luna and the others——–

“We got a room!”

“That’s developing fast.”

Luna’s eyes sparkled as if to say, “Look, look!”

Behind her was a gorgeous room with a large chandelier hanging from it.

It was about the size of two living rooms in a dorm room combined. Equipped with a sofa, table, bookshelf, and kitchen, it was the perfect space to gather and chat.

Adele and the others stepped into the room and looked around curiously.

“The story developed too quickly and the readers were surprised, but… I didn’t know that salons had rooms like this.”

“First of all, it’s surprising that they even have a building for salons.”

Elesia walked quickly to the bookshelf.

She picked up a book there and, with sparkling eyes, began flipping through it, exclaiming, “Oh!”. She looked childish and cute.

“Well, it’s a school for aristocrats, after all. There were a lot of requests for things like this.”

“Hmm…”

After looking around, Adele turned back to Luna.

Then, with a very serious look on his face, he said.

“Where’s the bed?”

“What are you planning to do!?”

Adele just wanted a place to take a nap, but in a space filled with girls, it was a rather risky thing to say.

“Even so, you managed to set up the salon.”

Elesia tilted her head without taking her eyes off the book.

“You had a dispute with Julius about that, right? If so, I thought it would be tough to set up the salon.”

Yes, Luna had originally been arguing with her brother Julius when it was first being set up.

Adele had made the bet nonexistent during the intrusion battle, but that didn’t mean Julius’ side had lost.

So she thought there would be some interference from the other side when it came to setting up the salon────

“Surprisingly, it went smoothly and they didn’t want it.”

“Yeah, it went smoothly enough that it was a little creepy. But I thought if we could set it up, we might as well go for it.”

Once it was set up, she wouldn’t have to worry about her brother.

As long as the academy doesn’t issue a dismantling order, even if there are outside interference attempts, the academy will protect us.

In that case, it’s best to set it up while you can.

It was starting to become a concern since there was nothing going on, but Luna decided not to worry about it.

“Well, maybe Julius-sama has given up.”

“Positive positive! You can’t keep worrying!”

Luna sat down on the sofa and took a sip of the tea Serena had made for her.

Serena had finished preparing the tea, so she sat down next to Luna and enjoyed a brief teatime.

Meanwhile───

“Master, look! This is a guide to the basic concepts of magic! This is a book that is hard to find on the market!”

“Oh, is this the one you wanted the other day…? Wait, isn’t this the world-famous pioneer’s botanical encyclopedia?! Why do you have such a rare gem?!”

“It’s a treasure trove…”

“Salons are so wonderful…”

Adele and Elesia had both been looking up at the bookshelf with shining eyes.

How should she put it, it feels like there are two kids now. Luna, who had been watching from behind, took a sip of her tea with a wry smile on her face.

“Now that I think of it, we have our first exam soon, right?”

At that moment, she spoke as if she had suddenly remembered something.

“Ah, the teacher was always saying stuff like that during the lecture. Well, it’s almost time. It’s been hectic lately, but it seems like it’s been a month.”

“Ugh, I don’t want to!”

Luna looked depressed as she collapsed onto the table, as if she didn’t want the exam.

Her shiny blonde hair had become messy.

“I have to do my best so I don’t drop in the rankings, but I wish they’d at least tell me what it’s about.”

The exam contents will not be disclosed until the day of the exam.

This is apparently to prevent cheating and for the school to see how much effort we’ve put in.

It’s true that if you don’t know the contents, you can’t cheat, and you can’t just cram for it the night before.

This will really be a test of all the effort you’ve put in so far.

“If they just do things normally, they’ll be fine. Everyone will be doing the same thing, so I don’t think there will be any difference soon after they enroll… but we can’t let my guard down either.”

“Ughhh, I’ve got so much to think about with big brother’s situation toooo!”

That’s not a princess-like attitude.

She must really be worried about the exam… or rather, about the possibility of her ranking dropping.

“Come on, don’t be so depressed, why don’t you follow their example a little?”

Serena said, pointing at the two kids on the bookshelf.

As if the exam wasn’t on their minds as usual, the two kids’ eyes sparkled as they looked at the books on the bookshelf.

“They seem to have no problems with it, those two.”

“As expected of the Black Knight!”

The two girls looked at Adele and Elesia with a smile on their faces.

 

 

“Master, this formula fits in here.”

Now, about two days had passed since the salon was established.

Perhaps because it was before the exams, everyone was working hard on their own training, and the number of duel requests to Adele and the others was decreasing rapidly.

Thanks to this, the days were peaceful, and now they were reviewing the parts they had missed after school because they had slept so soundly. Of course, the temporary teacher was Elesia.

“…Hey, I want to ask you something.”

Adele’s cheeks were twitching as he suddenly asked Elesia.

“How is it going? Is there a question you don’t understand? Or maybe you’ve been feeling a lot of attention from the people around you for a while now?”

It certainly felt like the students in their class were focusing their attention on the two of them as they studied in the classroom.

From the beginning, both Adele and Elysia are people who easily attract attention. Despite being a disgrace to the Marquis family, there are suspicions (or rather, certainty) about the “Black Knight” rumors, and in duels, Adele remains undefeated. Recently, the whispers have shifted from “How could someone lose to a disgrace?” to “I want to be stronger!” This is likely a result of the growing shift in Adele’s reputation.

On the other hand, Elesia is a girl who has been called a child prodigy from a magical family. With an eye-catching appearance, she also attracts attention, just like Adele.

So it’s not at all strange that they are looking at her and whispering to each other.

“No, it’s not that…”

Adele, with twitching cheeks, pokes Elesia’s head, who is right in front of him.

“Why are you sitting on my lap?”

“Ouch.”

Yes, Adele’s position as he is studying in the classroom has changed a little.

Adele is sitting in a chair, with Elesia on his lap, making for a very sweet couple.

“That’s a lovey-dovey couple position that’s bound to attract attention…”

“Ugh… I haven’t been able to get any pampering from you lately, Master. So I need to replenish myself…”

“Am I a nutritional supplement?”

The soft touch from her thighs, the sweet scent tickling his nostrils, the body heat spreading throughout his body.

On top of that, his handsome face was so close that it almost felt like she could kiss him every time she turns around.

Adele’s heart was pounding just now, but he doesn’t know how he should react if she finds out, so he pretends to be calm. It’s hard for a master to maintain his dignity and dignity as well.

“Hey, those two…”

“You’re not making out, are you? ”

“No way, you’re kidding, right!? The great Elysia-sama, a disgrace?!”

Hearing the slightly changed whisper, Elesia leans even closer to Adele in a good mood.

Adele sighed at the spoiled kitten.

“This is normal for Elesia…Hey, do you really need to study? Let’s just lounge in the room. Bed and pillow are crying because they can’t see me soon.”

“No, Bed-san sometimes wants to be alone. More importantly, you have to study, master…If the next exam is mainly written, what do you plan to do?”

“Grrr…”

“Right now we’re in the lead, so it’s fine, but depending on the content of the exam, we may fail. In other words, let’s do what we can♪”

Exams aren’t just about physical activity.

Knowledge is also a respectable skill. Smart people are valuable human resources who develop the country’s technology and industry. They are also valued in terms of administration, and the school also places importance on that aspect.

Therefore, it is entirely possible that the exams will be mainly written.

“Luna-sama and the others seem to be going to the library to study magic. Therefore, master, please study hard so that you don’t fall behind them.”

“Ugh…I feel like I’m going to break down after only a month since I started school. Please show me a little more of your kind side to students instead of just whipping me.”

Adele tearfully faces the distributed study materials and starts writing.

Elesia watches from between the desk and Adele.

“Now that you mention it.”

“Yes.”

“I thought for sure that the third prince would do some kind of nasty thing to harass me, but nothing in particular seems to have happened.”

Since then, Adele has been living a peaceful life.

Despite giving the prince the middle finger and directly challenging him, he continues to live a normal life.

Luna also seemed to have nothing happening that would allow her to set up a salon, and it made her wonder if the incident had really happened.

“That’s certainly true. Perhaps he was frightened by Master’s handsome face?”

“Hmm… do you really think so?”

“In my opinion, yes.”

“I wonder, I’m going to cry that there’s only one person who supports me.”

Well, it’s better if nothing happens.

Maybe he’s given up, just like Elesia said, or maybe he’s regretting that he went too far.

But considering the Third Prince’s personality and the atmosphere when he met him, he remembers──

“It feels like the calm before the storm.”

“That sounds like a flag, Master.”

I hope nothing happens.

As Elesia slaps his cheeks, Adele looks back down at his study materials.

 

♦♦♦

 

“Fufu, so how’s your studying going?”

Now, let’s move on.

In a salon perfect for hanging out, Luna gives Adele a smile of amusement.

On the table, there is no sign of the unwanted teaching materials that were there a moment ago.

Instead, there is tea that Luna has made for her, along with some sweets that are not a good idea to eat before dinner.

“I want to give up now.”

“Haha… well, it’s tough for people who don’t like it.”

“Can I give up?”

“I-it’s still fine! After all, Elysia-chan is the one teaching me─”

“I want to give up.”

“No good, that’s something a strict person would say, even if they’re teaching me.”

Just because you’re being taught doesn’t mean you can do it.

This is probably the result of the self-indulgent lifestyle he has led up until now. As the saying goes, you get what you pay for.

“By the way, where did Elesia go?”

Luna asks, looking around the salon to change the subject.

“I heard she went to take the duel. She’ll probably come back soon, right?”

“That’s impressive.”

“Well, I can’t really imagine anyone her age being able to beat Elesia. If there was an upset, it would be shocking to watch the TV… but I can’t say for sure because I don’t know how well someone ranked lower, third place, can fight.”

It’s just that Adele can’t imagine it.

In reality, below Elesia is Serena, and their superiority is only determined by the test standards.

What would happen if the two of them fought? I couldn’t say anything about this because I haven’t seen Serena’s abilities.

“Hmm… I wish I could say, ‘My guards are strong, eh!’ but I haven’t seen Elesia’s abilities properly, so I can’t say anything.”

“That’s how it is.”

Adele reaches for the cup and takes a sip of tea.

Then──

“But I don’t think Serena will lose either.”

Luna said to Adele with a teasing smile, almost as if she was boasting.

A rare assertion. Adele was a little surprised that Luna was competing with him.

“Is that because she’s your partner?”

“Yeah, because she’s my bodyguard.”

Luna then leaned back on the sofa and said,

“Serena and I’ve been together since we were children. She’s the daughter of a knight working for the Royal Knights, and originally she was just a girl who came to her father’s workplace to hang out and say, ‘I want to be a knight!'”

All that came into view was the beautiful light of a gorgeous chandelier.

However, far from being dazzled, Luna’s mouth relaxed as if she was lost in thought.

“I’ve always been a bit of a tomboy, so I used to run around the castle, and sometimes I would try to sneak out… That’s when I met Serena. Well, she immediately told me off, saying, ‘She’s trying to leave the castle!'”

“Well, it’s not good if the princess sneaks out on her own, is it?”

“Hehe, that’s true. But as a child I didn’t understand that at all, so I got angry at Serena, saying, ‘She told me off…!’ I was like, ‘I’ll play a prank on her as soon as I find her!’ But somehow we became good friends.”

Luna and Serena are different from Adele and Elesia.

Though they are master and servant, they are also good friends.

They play together, get scolded together, sometimes fight, and make up again and again.

The years they’ve spent like that since childhood have created a bond that is deeper than a simple master-servant relationship.

“Since then, she’s been with me. She even dreamed of joining the Knights, and decided to become a knight for me.”

Luna spoke nostalgically, and finally turned to Adele.

“That’s why I believe in Serena… that my knight won’t lose.”

“I see.”

Hearing Luna’s story, Adele’s lips loosened.

“I guess Serena decided to follow her because she’s the princess who said things like that.”

If she had simply been the second princess, Serena might have gone down a different path and tried to join the Knights by now.

But the reason she chose to become Luna’s guardian was because she wanted to support this girl.

I think I understand a little bit more about that reason after hearing her story and seeing her face.

“Hehe, is that so?”

“Ask her about it next time.”

“Hehe, I don’t want to♪ It’s kind of embarrassing to ask now.”

That’s true, Adele thought. He took a sip of tea with a smile.

Perhaps it was because he got to know a little more about the girl in front of him, or perhaps it was because he got a glimpse into the personality of the girl called Luna.

Either way, the atmosphere was not unpleasant at all.

I remained immersed in the same atmosphere for a while, along with Luna, who was reaching for the cup with a look of amusement.