extra 32

Outaishihi ni Nante Naritakunai!! extra 32

Older Brother and His Friends and His Little Sister

“Uuu… Uuu… Lidi…”

“Shuddup”

―― Delicious alcohol is getting ruined.

I sighed and stared at the man in front of me.

◇◇◇

A few days passed since the war with Sahaja.

As it was the first war with hardly any fighting in a long time, it finished without any particular problems, and only postwar cleanup remained.

Since we returned, Freed became closer than ever with my little sister, I now catch sight of them walking together more often than before.

Their figures of intimately talking while smiling softly are already a familiar sight in the Royal Castle, so there’s a secret agreement among soldiers to secretly look away and pretend not to see.

“Heh, heh, they’re wonderfully close.”

While walking through a corridor in the Royal Castle, I spotted the two at a distance.

Good grief. I shrugged my shoulders and decided to change my course.

After properly becoming lovers, the lovebirds don’t take into consideration the trouble they cause for their surroundings. They always, always flirt and stick close.

Now too, they were sticking so close that their talking could be mistaken for kissing.

“Lidi didn’t seem like that type. Well, I can say the same about Freed.”

Both shouldn’t have been the sticky, clingy type. My little sister had the impression of easy-going and indifferent to romance, and Freed should’ve been the type to properly separate his official and personal life.

And yet, looking at them, they’re intimate all the time.

Their words, actions and gazes are so sweet it makes me want to throw salt at them. If only one of them was like that I could endure, but both are. It can’t be helped that I want to run away.

“Better safe than sorry. Let’s not get involved with the lovebirds… Ah, Will!”

Seeing Will in front of me after I changed the course, I called out to him. Will’s shoulders shook with a start… and he gingerly turned to me.

“… What? Alex, huh.”

His face immediately relaxed in relief. I reflexively complained about the overly blatant change in his expression.

“What’s with this greeting? Who did you think it was…? Aah, so you saw that too.”

Will’s face twitched at the word . His reaction told me everything.

Will seems to have unluckily encountered the lovebirds.

“… You’re unlucky as ever.”

“… Shut up.”

The fact he didn’t return a denial meant I was right on the mark.

Come to think of it, when we came back from fighting Sahaja and my little sister came to welcome us, he watched with a face on the verge of crying as she was held up by Freed and left.

How did Will feel, seeing her worried if Freed wasn’t injured and happy from the bottom of her heart that Freed was safe?

Not once had she showed Will the special look reserved to the partner one is in love with. Meanwhile, she showed it freely to Freed.

Moreover, Freed too smiled with a happy expression he would absolutely not show to anyone but my little sister.

Understanding how strong their love is at a glance, soldiers, the King, etc. saw them off with smiles, but only Will was different.

He couldn’t keep up appearances. He was some distance away from Freed, so it wasn’t noticed, but his complexion was pale, and he was about to collapse at any moment.

“… Will, got time?”

“What is it suddenly?”

While thinking about various things, I found Will pitiful and unconsciously asked him. Yesterday, I obtained good alcohol. Will is prone to complaining under the influence, so I’ll be able to hear him out. Normally I want to be spared that, but this time he’s a little pitiful, so I think I can afford to hear him out.

“It’s been a while since the last time, so won’t you come to my mansion? I got good alcohol yesterday. I’ll hear you out.”

“I… Not really.”

“Never mind that, come. Oh, Glenn. You’re coming too, right?”

“Eh?”

Glenn was walking from exactly the opposite direction. I skillfully engaged him in our conversation.

Obviously, it’s hard to listen to Will’s complaints alone. And Glenn appeared just when I wished for another person to act as a cushion.

There’s no way I wouldn’t use him.

“Eh? What are you talking about?”

I beckoned Glenn, who was confused over the topic I’d suddenly brought up, and explained it to him. When I talked about the drinking party in my mansion, Glenn made a sour face, despite usually nodding.

“… Sorry. I very much want to socialize with you, but today is a little… I promised Helene to eat dinner with her…”

“Tsk… Which reminds me, you’ve become a total normie.”

Although it will officially happen a little later, Glenn got engaged the other day.

His partner is the former King’s concubine who he’s had feelings for many years, Helene von Schwarzer.

I haven’t heard the details, but it seems my little sister did various things and fulfilled Glenn’s love.

Us who knew about Glenn’s love gave up on it as impossible, yet my little sister who hadn’t been aware of his circumstances solved them.

Strangely, she mediated the relationship between the King and Queen while at it.

The relationship between the King and Queen then improved. I sometimes don’t understand my little sister.

… Really, what is my little sister doing. When I first heard of it, I couldn’t close my mouth opened agape.

My little sister has been doing various strange things for a long time, and it seems nothing has changed since her place of residence changed to the Royal Castle.

The discord between the King and Queen was a famous story inside the Royal Castle, so I was interested in how the hell she improved it, but her being her, of course she didn’t tell.

But, with that one matter the King and Queen clearly took a liking to my little sister.

In fact, she was together with the King and Queen when she came to greet Freed, and they seem to often invited her to meals. The King highly praises her to foreign envoys who come to congratulate on the engagement, saying things like, “My son obtained a wonderful fiancée.” The Queen loves my little sister like her real daughter. She frequently invites my little sister for tea and sometimes has my little sister stay over in her room.

Freed complained that he wanted it to stop, so I’m sure of it.

But if he showed my little sister such attitude she wouldn’t be happy, so he can only keep silent.

Of course, same as the King and Queen, Glenn only saw my little sister as Freed’s beloved at first, but now he treats her as his benefactor. As for the former concubine, it goes without saying.

Even setting aside her fiancé, Freed, her allies include the King and Queen, the Royal Guard Chivalric Order Commander, King’s former concubine, and then the Magician Division Commander Will.

Such a normally impossible lineup supports my little sister.

And then there’s me and Old Man… Thinking about it, my little sister may have the most power in the Royal Castle now.

Aah, that reminds me, she has a hold over the kitchen…

Since long ago, my little sister has been making allies of her surroundings, but I never thought it would extend to the top of the country, the King and Queen.

Although she’s not aware of it herself, my little sister is truly terrifying.

But what’s the most dreadful is that the cleanup after my little sister all falls on me.

When she was at the ducal residence the scale wasn’t that big, but when she becomes the Crown Princess and the Queen, won’t things become far harder?

Even though I’m not my Old Man, thinking about that, I can’t help my stomach from aching daily.

“Normie… I am not on Freed’s level. I promised before. Then, I am going.”

While I was lost in thought, Glenn left with a wry smile. His gait was light.

He must be happy to meet his beloved partner. Which reminds me, he’s completely quit womanizing. As expected, the problem has been settled.

“Is that so…?”

While watching Glenn’s back as he left, my mood darkened.

Is that so? That means I will have to listen to Will’s complaints alone.

I brought it up myself, but it will be difficult.

It was my miscalculation to ask him to hang out because I thought Glenn would be with us.

However, I want to avoid being alone with him no matter what it takes. Will is prone to crying when drunk. It’s especially terrible recently. It’s hard to deal with him alone.

“Ah.”

While I was worried about what to do, a man I recognized came walking from the direction where Glenn left.

Sion Nanaohgi.

A man who officially swore to become Freed’s subordinate the other day, and simultaneously was appointed as a military tactician.

He was walking carefreely, not looking busy in the least.

Even Sion is fine now. It’s much better than being alone.

Whatever happened in the past, he’s now a colleague I work with. It’s not bad to drink together and get to know each other.

Thinking so, I called out to him as cordially as possible.

“Sion, it’s just right! Won’t you come drinking to my house now?”

“… Me?”

Stopped, Sion frowned. Although I thought that his reaction was natural, I told him that I’d obtained good alcohol.

“We could deepen our friendship. How about it?”

“Friendship… huh. Well, I think it’s necessary for the sake of smooth communication, and I don’t have any particular business, so I don’t mind.”

“Ah! You get it! Then you’ll participate! Will, you’re fine with it, right!?”

I thought for sure I’d be rejected, so I was surprised.

But, I’m grateful.

When I confirmed with Will, he looked troubled for a moment, then nodded.

“… I don’t mind.”

“Great, it’s decided! Then, let’s go to my house now!”

Strike while the iron is hot. I’d be troubled if I was told to stop.

Somewhat forcibly, I took them with me to the mansion.

◆◆◆

I decided to host the drinking party in my room and laid out alcohol and snacks made in the kitchen.

At first Will drank in silence, but before long he began sobbing.

Will isn’t weak to alcohol, but even if what I prepared today tastes good, the alcohol content is quite high. Will, who unaware of it desperately drank a glass after another, got completely drunk.

“Lidi… Lidi… Why? Why didn’t you fall in love with me first…? I love you as much as His Highness…”

“Yes, yes, indeed. Then you should’ve quickly done something before she was proposed to.”

“There was nothing I could. Lidi sees me as another older brother…!”

I knew it would happen, but it’s tiresome. It’s the fifth time today he’s said that.

While I was getting fed up with it, Sion addressed me.

His voice was low.

“… Lord Alexei. Perhaps you didn’t want to deal with this alone and so invited me. Is it like that?”

“Sorry, to be honest it’s exactly like that. Forgive me.”

I couldn’t say it was different. When I manfully bowed my head, Sion breathed a sigh.

“I do not mind… but is Lord William prone to drunk crying?”

“No, it doesn’t happen unless he drinks a lot. Today’s alcohol is strong, so… Eh, you ain’t drunk?”

“No. Fortunately I can handle alcohol, I have never been drunk yet. I’ve crushed countless drinking partners.”

“Never been drunk… You’re incredible.”

To calmly drink, Sion really must be able to handle alcohol.

He has drunk more than Will, yet his expression is completely unchanged. I can also handle it, but sure enough, I’m not on Sion’s level.

“Lidi… Lidi…”

Will began crying again.

Sion frowned.

“… Is it okay to leave him as is?”

“There’ll be no end to it if you engage him. He’ll be satisfied if you just respond properly, so just show him that you are paying attention.”

“Haa, I will do that then.”

“Sorry. If I don’t have him vent like this, his feelings will build up.”

Will is fundamentally stoic and doesn’t show what he feels, so left alone he’ll mope and break down. That’s why I have him vent regularly… But he’s more bothersome than usual today.

He must’ve received a great shock seeing the two after we returned from fighting Sahaja.

“… I got this impression when we talked a few days ago, but Lord William seems like a very delicate person.”

“… Only when Lidi is concerned. She’s his first love from when he was a child, and he can’t help loving her even now.”

“Despite that, it doesn’t seem like he wants to steal her from His Highness Friedrich.”

I wryly smiled at the inquisitive look directed at me. It’s not like I don’t understand his feelings.

“Will is a fundamentally earnest person. Besides, he understands well that Lidi is in love with Freed. He wouldn’t take away Lidi’s happiness. And even if he did that, Lidi wouldn’t look at him. He understands he’d only be hated.”

“Is that so…?”

“After all, no matter how you look at it, they’re lovebirds with an aura of happiness about them. Moreover, they’re blessed by their surroundings, he wouldn’t get in the way of that. So that Lidi is happy, he suppresses his feelings.”

“If he’s so tormented by it, can’t he just confess…? That way he’ll get over it quicker.”

I agreed from the bottom with what was pointed out.

“Indeed, I think so too. I tried urging him to confess many times. Even so, he’s a total good-for-nothing. While he was worrying about what to do, she was snatched by Freed… That’s what happened.”

“… That’s…”

While making a sour face, Sion gulped down alcohol. The glass was more than half full, yet he was unperturbed. On the contrary, he reached out his hand and poured himself more alcohol.

He’s beyond a strong drinker.

While thinking this, I also gulped down alcohol. The strong alcohol burning my throat felt pleasant.

“Unlike Will, Freed was as swift as lightning. He caught Lidi in no time after falling in love with her at first sight… And they’ve been so clingy ever since.”

As I laughed recalling their figures this evening, Sion said.

“There are people who can do it and people who can’t. Lord William couldn’t.”

“I guess.”

“Lidi…”

, Will sobbed. As I quietly chuckled while watching Will from the corner of my eye, Sion tilted his glass and for some reason asked.

“Lord Alexei, what about your marriage? Considering your position and age, I think it’s about time to welcome a wife.”

“I guess…”

It was an intrusive subject, yet I didn’t find it unpleasant.

I feel he won’t tell others even if I talk about it.

Although I’ve only known him for a short time, my intuition tells me Sion is trustworthy. Of course, a lot of it is because he’s a man recognized by Freed.

That’s why I thought that it was alright and spoke.

“Since the biggest problem of my little sister was solved, I imagine that I’ll be next. It would be ideal if I married before Lidi gives birth to Freed’s child, but… it doesn’t look like it’ll happen for now.”

“Oh, you won’t marry for political reasons?”

“We don’t do that. It might be surprising, but Lidi’s marriage ain’t a political marriage either. We have no need to cozy up to royalty.”

“… You are the preeminent ducal house, huh. There’s nothing more to desire… is there?”

As Sion nodded like he was convinced, I said with a bitter smile.

“Well, that’s also the case, but thinking about it normally, using Lidi is impossible. She only does superfluous things. Recently I learned that the only man tolerant enough to accept that tomboy is Freed and no one else.”

“I think Lord William would be fine too.”

Sion said so while casting a sidelong glance at Will, who was still crying over alcohol alone.

I strongly nodded to that.

“Yeah, I think so too. But there was a big problem. Our old man and Will’s father are on surprisingly bad terms. Particularly the other side’s dislike is extreme. No matter how much Will wanted it, he wouldn’t agree saying things like, “Vivoirs’ daughter is impossible.””

“… I see.”

“It seems our old man would swallow his feelings for Lidi’s happiness, but the other side didn’t agree to it.”

Marriage involves houses. If parents don’t agree, it’s impossible.

Especially since both Will and my little sister were born in important ducal houses.

“I understand now that Vivoir house doesn’t like political marriages. Then Lord Alexei, are you searching for a wife yourself?”

“That’s how it is. I can’t imagine it at all though.”

“Oh, what are your preferences?”

His voice turned amused. I too said jokingly.

“… I don’t want a woman who’ll only say, “Yes,” to my words. A woman I won’t get bored around would be good. And, I don’t want her to abuse the status of the preeminent ducal house… I want her to truly accept my little sister. I’d be grateful if she could laugh off Lidi’s eccentric behaviors. While at it, it would be best if our houses’ status matched… But there’s no such woman.”

“Those are quite difficult conditions. At least an ordinary noble young lady couldn’t be your partner.”

“I don’t need a woman who’ll only smile obediently. On the other hand, no thanks for a woman who would sabotage others at tea and evening parties out of the desire to stand on top. That’s too unsightly. Regardless of her beauty, I would feel sick. I’d doubt whether she loves me.”

“… I fully agree.”

When I profoundly answered, Sion nodded with a serious face.

Come to think, he too should’ve had a considerable status in Tarim. Considering that he’s a single now, I wonder if women didn’t approach him much.

Curious about Sion’s relations with women, I playfully asked while topping up our alcohol.

“Don’t make me do all the talking. You haven’t found a good woman either? Weren’t you really popular in Tarim?”

Sion gulped down the glass and showed a tiny smile.

“I wasn’t interested in getting married, so I haven’t. I’m not particularly interested in women either, so while I felt sorry, I declined them.”

“Not interested in women? No way, are you into men?”

It was a joke, but Sion frowned.

“… Please stop teasing me when you know. There are actually people who misunderstand it like that. It’s different. I have a woman in my heart, so I don’t want anybody else. That’s all.”

“Ooh!”

I’m surprised. I suddenly got really interested in what kind of woman did the man who was indifferently talking in front of me fell in love with.

“Tell me in detail! Is she in Tarim? Or rather, is it unrequited love…? No way, right?”

He’s got a well-featured neat face that women generally like.

I thought he had had a lot of choice considering his status, but Sion denied.

“No? Let alone an unrequited love, I got splendidly dumped. However, I can’t think of anybody but her.”

“Got dumped?”

I wonder if there’s a woman who’d dump this man.

“Yeah. I reap what I sowed. It was over before I knew it. Moreover, she went to a place outside my reach.”

“You… That’s…”

I opened my eyes at the words that could be taken either way if you read into them. Sion showed a light, fleeting smile.

“I will leave it to your imagination. However, I always pray for her happiness, and as long as I live, I will continue loving only her.”

“I see… Sorry for asking.”

“No. Lord Alexei, I also had you tell your story. Besides, please don’t misunderstand. I’m happy now. I am glad to have come to this country and to serve the country known as Wilhelm. Protecting this country is my current desire.”

“… Um, are you alright regarding her?”

“Yeah, it’s an old story. I can’t be stuck in the past forever. Since I’ve come to Wilhelm, I believe I have to look forward.”

Sion’s face was serious as he clearly told me that. I understood from his face that he didn’t tell a lie.

“I see. Then once again, I look forward to working with you. As a tactician, you’ll have many opportunities to talk with me.”

“It is I who should say I look forward to working with you. Lord Alexei, I wanted to talk with you properly once, so I am happy about today’s invitation.”

“… I’m grateful you say that.”

I turned my eyes to the man who was still grumbling alone and sighed.

He should be alright after complaining this much. While I was thinking of calling it a night soon, something fell from the ceiling.

“Nn?”

“Oh?”

Wondering what was going on, I looked up at the ceiling. Seeing the little opening in the ceiling, I understood something fell from there. I immediately turned pale and directed my gaze to what had fallen.

Above the ceiling I store a lot of things that would be difficult to find. I was flustered that they had fallen, but that wasn’t it.

That wasn’t it, instead――.

“Eek!!”

It was the doll whose hair grew strangely.

Its identity is a magical tool Will had gifted my little sister before – a baby-sized doll with a creepy face and blonde hair. When my little sister received it, she was so scared her face was twitching. It seems my little sister was troubled over what to do with it and put it above the ceiling, but apparently it was moved above the ceiling of my room before I knew it.

I understood the situation, but seeing the doll that looked completely different from the last time, I screamed in terror.

“Wha… wha… wha…!?”

The doll I saw for the first time in a while strangely had its hair extend beyond its body. I shuddered at the impossible phenomenon.

Shocked by the doll’s appearance, I couldn’t say one full word.

Contrary to my turmoil, Sion was completely calm. He casually lifted the doll and began observing it.

“Ooh… A doll? Do you know anything about it?”

“Ah… Yeah. It’s a magical tool… that Will gifted to Lidi…”

“A gift of magical tool doll? It’s not something women like much. To begin with, the hair is too long.”

I thought that that wasn’t the problem, but Sion began curiously examining the doll.

He grasped the doll’s hair.

When its hair twined around Sion’s wrist, I screamed in fear.

“Y-You…! That’s…”

I pointed at the doll.

I was confident my expression was completely frozen. But looking truly unperturbed, Sion removed the hair that twined around him like it was troublesome.

“Aah, is it a moving magical tool? It’s unusual. It’s just like a cursed doll.”

“A-Ain’t you afraid of curses!?”

I’m truly scared. My little sister should feel the same. But saying, “Why are you scared?” Sion tilted his head.

“It’s a magical tool, right? What’s there to be scared about? There’s nothing particularly wrong with it.”

“…”

Sion was too composed.

Certainly, he is right, but how should I put it, this doll is something that elicits instinctive fear in humans. He’s terrifying to accept it easily.

“Y-You…”

“Nn? Isn’t it the magical tool doll I gave Lidi as a gift?”

“W-Will…”

Perhaps having noticed the doll Sion was holding, Will, who had been crying over alcohol, stood up before I noticed. His earlier drunkenness was gone.

He must’ve sobered up seeing his beloved magical tool.

Will walked up to Sion and inquisitively peered at the doll.

“I heard about it, but the hair really has grown. Truly interesting.”

“The hair has grown? It wasn’t this length originally?”

Surprisingly, Sion got into Will’s story. Will’s talks about magical tools are long and annoying. Having always been secretly worried about being kept at arm’s length, Will happily nodded at Sion’s reaction.

“That’s right. It was quite short at first. It’s a cursed doll that attacks things that hold ill will, I gave it to Lidi hoping it would protect her.”

“Oh. Why did it grow so long?”

Sion continued asking questions. He was seriously interested. Will passionately explained.

“I think it’s probably the result of reacting to the ill will directed at Vivoir ducal house. It grows proportionally to the ill will it receives. Its expression looks as if it was alive. Wonderful. It’s a precious magical tool so I was troubled about what to do with it, but I’m glad I gifted it.”

“It’s a cheap price for protecting Princess Consort’s peace.”

“Yeah.”

“…”

I can’t keep up with their conversation.

They continued passionately talking about the cursed doll. Even though the doll moved its eyeballs to stare at them and its hair undulated, they were completely unperturbed.

I… am so scared I want to run away this instant.

“You are unexpectedly reasonable.”

I’m sure Will was very happy to talk about magical tools for the first time in a while and his liking for Sion definitely increased. Sion too was nodding enthusiastically.

“Thank you. No, it’s really interesting. Rather than a doll that curses, it’s a doll that returns curses. I hadn’t considered that, so I was surprised. I was sure it was something that cursed its owner…”

“There’s no way I’d give something like that to Lidi. However, it’s the fact that many people misunderstand it like that. They should learn more about magical tools――.”

“Yeah, I fully agree.”

“…”

The doll wrapped its hair around their arms and bodies.

But, they were as unconcerned as ever.

Seeing them completely hit off, my face twitched. As I drew back, I thought.

―― I made a mistake in personnel selection.

I would never expect Sion to be such a guy.

I thought nobody who could talk with Will about magical tools existed, and yet… the world is wider than I thought.

And like that, the frightening magical tool discussion continued until the morning of the next day. While suffering from the lack of sleep, I decided to go to the office.

“It was hell…”

I didn’t want to participate in talking about that doll. But as the room owner, I couldn’t run away. In the end, I got stuck with keeping them company to the end while enduring fear.

While walking through a corridor, I leaked an extraordinary sigh. I was tired even before the work began.

… Honestly, I want to take today off.

“… Because Lidi moved it, I had a terrible time.”

When I muttered so, I noticed.

In the end, my sister is always behind everything.

She’s truly a terrifying woman to attack me when she’s not there.

That’s the future Queen? It’s a joke, right?

“Haha… Hahaha… Aah… Haa.”

I dejectedly dropped my shoulders.

“Let’s do my best to finish quickly today.”

My interests coincide with Freed’s, who always wants to quickly return to my little sister.

I decided so and opened the door to the office, but――.

“Alex, good morning.”

“Older Brother, good morning. You are late.”

“… Why are you here?”

To the side of the desk was the owner of this room, Freed, and my little sister.

Freed was hugging my little sister’s waist and grinning in good mood.

“Nn? Freed wants me to come here once in a while.”

“There’s no particular problem, right? Didn’t you say you were happy that work sped up?”

“Sure, I did…”

I certainly said that. But at least today I want to be spared that.

But there’s no way Freed would send back my little sister after specially bringing her here.

In the end, my spirit was further whittled. Even though I could return home earlier, the damage was far greater.

―― Lovebirds, perish.

Marriage, girlfriend, drinking with colleagues, for a while I seriously don’t need those.

Thinking so from the bottom of my heart on my way back to the mansion, I spilled another big sigh.