"My, this richness... Young Master, you have truly befriended an extraordinary person."
Sebas was praising me, a rare occurrence, as he sipped the coffee Mariana had brought.
"It was Lady Alicia who became friends with Lady Mariana," one of the servants immediately interjected with a correction.
"My, this richness... Lady Alicia has truly befriended an extraordinary person."
Hearing that, Sebas corrected himself without missing a beat.
It was true that my plan to become friends with Mariana had ended in total failure. While I was still trying to figure out how to approach her, Alicia had managed a miraculous encounter and claimed the friendship first.
He wasn't wrong, but did he really have to go out of his way to rephrase it right in front of me?
Good grief. These servants were a handful.
"Sebas, death penalty for you."
"My, my, are you lacking in composure, Young Master?"
"I see. Then beheading it is."
"You haven't changed a bit, Young Master. Now then, finish your coffee so we can get through the administrative work you’ve been neglecting."
"Uaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaagh!"
Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!
It felt like it had been forever since I’d last pounded my head against my office desk. Immediately upon returning home, I had headed straight to see Onyx. Sebas had labeled that as "slacking off" and proceeded to bury me in paperwork.
It was Summer Vacation; surely a little bit of slacking should have been permitted?
However, Alicia had been a whirlwind of productivity since our return, helping Sebas and the other servants with various chores before gallantly heading out to her own fields. Watching her work made it impossible for me to complain. If I just sat around doing nothing, I felt like I'd be branded a useless man for life.
Members of House Brave didn't say things like "Why don't we just leave the work to the servants?" We held the status of nobility, but in this house, it was mostly for show.
"I’m going to go check on Lady Alicia’s Chantless Cultivation," one of the servants said.
"If you've finished your duties, that’s fine. She’s likely with Lady Mariana, so please bring them some drinks and light snacks."
"Of course."
With that, the servant left the office, leaving only Sebas and me.
Chantless Cultivation... It seemed a truly outrageous new application for magic had been born. Then again, I used high-level magic for pest control, so I wasn't exactly in a position to judge.
"By the way, Sebas."
"What is it, Young Master?"
"What's the status of the Brave Territory? I’m not worried about the mountains since Onyx is there, but what about the movements of the neighboring country?"
"There is a bit of a suspicious scent in the air. However, things should remain stable for a while. You should focus on enjoying your academy life with your two friends."
I wouldn't exactly call my time at the Academy something to "enjoy," but it hadn't been quite as boring as I’d anticipated.
"As for the rescue of His Highness, I have already used the Oldwood family as a proxy to send word. There shouldn't be any fallout for you or the ladies, but please remain cautious regardless."
"I understand. Thank you."
We had handed Edward over to Clive, who had arrived at the mansion the very next day to escort him back to the capital. We gave him a full explanation of how the Prince ended up in that state. Beyond that, Sebas had pulled strings with the Oldwood family to ensure our safety. He really was a capable man.
"Hmm. So, now that Patricia has lost Edward's protection, will she be expelled from the Academy?"
"Master Volsea is the type of man who allows students to remain as long as he recognizes their talent. It is hard to say."
"But it's a fact that she tried to trigger an incident that would have destabilized the entire nation. It seems wrong for her to go unpunished."
"If House Ignite is backing her, she has countless ways to evade an investigation. If anything, His Highness Edward's political standing is in far more danger than hers."
"I don't really care about him."
Dealing with fools was exhausting.
"And yet, his personal stance toward House Brave isn't a bad one. Foolish though he may be, if we were to install him as King, many things might change for the better."
"Hmm."
It wasn't a bad thought, but was a comeback actually possible for Edward? In the original game, his specs were technically in the "competent" category. After overcoming various trials, he was supposed to discover that the heroine was the Saint, pull off a dramatic reversal, and eventually become a beloved king who stood by the common people.
The current timeline was so glitched that there wasn't a trace of that plot left, but was it even a possibility? Could Edward really manage a redemption arc?
"Hmm..."
Every time I tried to picture it, his perfectly smooth, bald head popped into my mind, leaving me with a very complicated feeling.
"Ho ho, you certainly look troubled."
Sebas chuckled, stroking his beard as he watched me brood.
"That reminds me, Young Master. I heard you confronted a demon-possessed individual in the depths of that ant nest. How was it? Did you feel your life was in jeopardy?"
"Not particularly."
"Goodness. If that is the case, it seems the next generation of House Brave is still a long way off."
"Hey, could you stop treating me like some kind of wild animal?"
I had zero intention of becoming the "Beast of Brave."
"We’re still students. I’m going to deepen our relationship normally, gradually closing the distance between us... I intend to proceed using perfectly legitimate, wholesome methods."
Just like a romance sim! It was a foolproof plan.
"And have you actually made an approach, Young Master? By my observation, you seem significantly closer to Lady Mariana."
"Urgh."
Come to think of it, I hadn't actually invited Alicia to do anything lately.
"But don't you think it’s nice to just spend time quietly at home together?"
We had both lived through some intense, turbulent events. Wasn't this tranquility the very definition of happiness?
"Young Master, while being yourself is important, it is vital to constantly pour love into a woman’s heart. We are not so young that we can live solely on happy memories—"
"Therefore?"
I swallowed hard. Sebas's advice had helped me talk to Alicia properly before. This Love Strategist was worth listening to.
"—Therefore, you must maintain a relentless, daily offensive."
"I see. So love is war."
"Indeed."
"I see. Indeed, huh."
"Indeed."
I suddenly had a craving for squid. If the sea were closer, how convenient that would have been.
"Right, Sebas. Is there a way to actually kill a demon? They don't seem like they can die normally, so I was thinking that if we don't find a way to finish them off, we'll be stuck when we meet again."
"They are not beings that exist entirely within our reality. Perhaps we should summon one and experiment?"
As expected, that was the fastest solution.
I decided then and there. My "summer experience" in the Brave Territory this year would be a Demon Subjugation.
Last year, for the record, it had involved a monster with far too many tentacles.