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Kaoru Chapter 26: Visitors 2
「Is Kaoru here?」(Francette)
The female knight Francette came to the workshop. She seems a little panicked.
「Actually, yesterday a diplomatic message came from a neighboring country 
」(Francette)
Kaoru had a bad feeling with what Francette said.
(No no no
 Even if she says neighboring country, there are four countries adjacent to this country 
) (Kaoru)
「Which country?」(Kaoru)
「From the Brancott Kingdom」(Fran)
(I knew it 
)  (Kaoru)
With how things are, Kaoru can somewhat predict what it is, just to be sure she continues asking Francette.
「So, who is the envoy?」(Kaoru)
「It’s the first prince!」(Francette)
Aaaahh 


It didn’t really matter who it was since his role was an envoy, but it was still frustrating to know that it’s the first prince.
「I was told that he said that there was a girl named Kaoru that he wants to meet.」(Francette)
The king and the cabinet ministers feel troubled by this. They don’t want him to meet Kaoru and they don’t really know what his purpose for meeting her is.
They can’t really lie about Kaoru since her whereabouts are well-known by the people.
Among those people, there are aristocrats, nobles, and merchants who wish to have a connection with the prince from Brancott Kingdom. Even if they managed to lie about Kaoru, there still might be someone who would want to garner favor from the prince.
Therefore, Francette came to warn Kaoru of the circumstances.
「Ahh, so troublesome, let’s deal with him and send him back quickly.
I can’t bother the workshops, have him meet me at Baron Lyotal’s house.
I still need to adjust my schedule for the next few days, I’ll probably be able to meet him in the afternoon around this week.」 (Kaoru)
I can’t afford to be late preparing the meal for everyone in the workshop or miss a few of my chores just so I could meet the first prince.
「I understand, I will tell Roland-sama」(Francette)
*** Evening of the same day ***
Fernand, the first prince of Brancott Kingdom, was in a good mood
Finally he can see Kaoru.
Moreover, he seems to have heard about Kaoru’s announcement
「I will not enter the King’s Castle」
Which means that Kaoru has a bad relationship with the royal palace and he heard that a low-ranking baron is taking care of Kaoru.
「Since it’s just a low-ranking noble, I could just threaten him a bit to make him give Kaoru to me.」 (Fernand)
「No. No matter what, you must respect Kaoru’s will.
Did you forget what happened, Fernand?」(Fabio)
Fabio stabbed a nail in Fernand’s thoughts.
「Well 
 yeah 
 but 
 」(Fernand)
He stabbed a nail, but that was because Fabio didn’t think everything was that simple. He had prepare something to convince Kaoru to come back to them.
He had investigated Kaoru and it seems that she was having some trouble with the King and Nobles, almost similar to that time when she was in our country.
With this, it should be difficult for her to live a normal life here.
However, in the Brancott Kingdom, although there was a rumor about a commoner girl who rejected the prince’s proposal, this rumor was only spread to a certain extent and the details have only been confined to the reaches of the nobles.
Because of this, the name and appearance of the girl was kept secret.
Perhaps she can live a normal life in the Brancott kingdom as a different person.
But the problem was, would this country let go of Kaoru?
According to the reports made by the spies, It isn’t that the people of this country won’t hand Kaoru over, But it’s just that Kaoru can’t simply leave the country.
It is well-known by now that Kaoru is an existence beloved by the goddess, thus she is an important beacon for the people of this country. (ED/PF okay i think it’s a bit confusing here but what I think he meant was, if Kaoru leaves the country then it would be in turmoil since people would think that the Goddess has forsaken them.)
Also, even without the goddess’ blessing, Kaoru herself possess great wisdom 

To what extent did the aristocrats and royalty of this country recognize those things about her?
Would they still consider handing Kaoru over to them even if the King of Brancott’s Kingdom would threaten their country
Fabio can’t predict everything just from the reports.
「Anyway, do not speak arrogantly, do not say bad things, let’s bring it to a friendly atmosphere first, listen to the current situation of Kaoru, apologize to her, and hopefully she would forgive us
 」
「I understood, let’s go with that」
Fernand agreed with what Fabio said.
*** 2 days later ***
Fernand, Fabio, Alan, along with the king’s brother Roland and the Chancellor were guarded safely to Baron Lyotal’s house.
Many greetings were lined up in front of the baron’s residence.
A few people are guided to the back whereas several guards were placed in front of the mansion.
During the reception, the figure of the Baron of this house, Lyotard and his third son Acyl appeared.
After all respective introductions and greetings were in order, the door opened and a single girl came in.
「「「Kaoru!!」」」
The three friends shouted.
「What happened to the scar on your face? 」
「Have you been okay? 」
「I’m sorry about what happened. 」
The girl listened to the three men for a bit and then, with a grim face, she said with a convincing expression.
「How do you do. Everyone, are you my little sister’s acquaintance? 」
「「「Huh? 」」」(Prince Trio)
「I am Alpha · Kaoru · Nagase, it seems you have taken care of my Imouto Milfa · Kaoru · Nagase」(Kaoru)
「「「 huh? 」」」(Prince Trio) (ED/PF: I changed it a bit here since it was too weird with what was here before.)
「Oh, did you not talk about what happened with that girl? We both escaped from the country and I broke up with her to lose the pursuers.
I surely thought we would meet again soon
  That girl, is she doing well? 」
The three men have trouble in replying. They can’t simply say that her little sister was Injured and Missing.
「So which one of the two gentlemen here has a relationship with that girl? 」
Alan and Fabio were surprised since Kaoru was smiling at the both of them.
「Why did you ask these two?」(Fernand)
Fernand asks with a face that seems desperate.
「It’s because I know what kind of man that girl likes,
A gentleman who is strong, wild, sincere, intelligent and cares for everyone including the girl he loves.」(Kaoru) (ED/PF: damn.. the bar
 it’s too high now
)
「Oh, It’s m–!」(Fernand)
「Oh that’s right, because of our patriarchal grandfather, Both I and that girl dislike men who would try to overwhelm us with how we live our lives.」(Kaoru)
Fernand felt a hit to his conscience.
Alan and Fabio felt sorry for Fernand.
「I’d like to ask, can Milfa use the godess’ blessing like you?」(Fabio)
Kaoru shook her head.
「No, between both of us sisters, I was the one who was lucky enough to be friends with Celes.
Even though we have the same face, me and my sister are completely different people.」
The three men have a bitter face.
「Well, can’t Alpha come to the Kingdom of Brancott! If you wish to live with your sister 
」(Alan)
Kaoru shakes her head again to Alan’ invitation.
「That is useless. When we get together in one country, the balance between the powers of the countries collapses and it is likely to cause a dispute, because of this both of us ran away from our country.
Hopefully, there would be an opportunity to meet again with my little sister.」
「「「


」」」
If this girl is a different person from that Kaoru, then they don’t have a reason to take her back to Brancott Kingdom.
This girl here is an important person to their country, no matter what they are sure that this kingdom’s king wouldn’t let her go.
There is nothing more to talk about.
Fabio, Alan, and Fernand left Baron Lyotal’s house. Among these three, Fernand was the most depressed out of them.
***
「
 Hey, do you think she really is her sister? 」
「Probably
, I’m not really sure.」
Fabio of astringent expression answers Alan’s question.
「Well, it seems that she doesn’t have any intention of coming back to Brancott Kingdom, she didn’t even seem interested in Fernand.」
Hearing those words, Fernand’s face was in grief.
***
「Oh, it’s done, it’s over!!!~~」
As they looked at Kaoru who was stretching her arms upward, everyone had a similar question in their head.
「Um, are you really the younger sister? 」
Francette asks out the question everyone has in their head even though a part of them knew the answer.
「Hm? You really believed that?  Hahahaha!」
((( ~ Haaa
 ~))))