Two Duke’s Daughters

By the time the three had been fed… and the four of them had finished lunch, Caro, Josette, and Rachel had calmed down. Lunch break ended, they returned to their respective classrooms, and the afternoon classes began.

On this test, Patty, who had always been near the bottom, had ended up a little above the middle thanks to Kent’s guidance. Perhaps studying had become interesting to her, because the girl beside him, who used to sleep all the time, was now seriously taking notes with the writing tools Kent had given her and attending class properly.

The afternoon classes ended as well, and as usual Caro and Rachel came to the classroom.

“I can only accompany you part of the way, but please let me come along.”

Caro, who had to go straight home, said that regretfully.

“Then may I come along as well?”

“We’re headed to the same place, so that’s fine.”

Since their destination was the same, there was no reason to refuse, so Kent agreed.

“Today, I shall accompany you as well.”

“Josette-san, are you going to the shop today?”

“Yes, I do not have any plans today, so I shall help out at the shop.”

“That would be a great help.”

Kent left the school with the four girls. To outsiders, the sight of a commoner boy surrounded by a large group of girls including nobles looked rather strange. The people involved paid it no mind and left the school.

“Well then, everyone, please do your best at work. There really are all sorts of things I have to do… Once things settle down, please let me help at the shop again.”

“If Caro-san comes, it would be a huge help, so you’d be more than welcome. Then be careful on your way home.”

Caro parted ways with them along the way, and the remaining four headed toward the shop.

“Well then, I’m going to put my things down first and then head to the shop, so you all can go on ahead.”

“Understood.”

“See you later.”

“See you.”

Kent parted from the three girls in front of his house and went inside to put down his things.

When he entered the shop after putting his things down, it sounded like someone was arguing.

“The shop seems noisy. What happened?”

“That’s because Josette-san and Elnette-san are arguing. They seem to know each other somehow.”

Kent asked Patty, who was watching the situation from a distance.

A little farther inside, Rachel, Catherine, Marie, and Emily were also watching what was happening.

“I heard Josette-san and Elnette are arguing?”

“Just as we were about to open the shop, Rachel-oneechan and the others came, and as soon as Josette-san spotted Elnette-san, she immediately closed in on her, and it turned into this.”

According to Catherine, it seemed they had already finished cleaning up the shop and were just about to reopen for business.

“Hey, what’s going on with you two?”

Kent stepped between them and decided to ask the reason.

“Ah, Kent. Welcome back.”

When Josette saw the look on Elnette’s face, so full of feminine charm, she spoke in surprise.

“Onee-sama, why are you calling Kent-san by name without any honorific?”

“Well, between Kent and me… that’s a secret.”

“Wh—!”

Saying that, Elnette clung to Kent’s arm.

“Kent-san, what is the meaning of this?”

Josette pressed Kent for an answer.

“Well, Elnette has been working at this shop for a little while now. It seems you two know each other, but what is your relationship?”

Josette had called Elnette Onee-sama. At the very least, they were clearly acquainted.

“Elnette Onee-sama is my older sister.”

““““What?!””””

Everyone in the shop except Marie cried out in surprise.

“So the commoner Josette had feelings for was Kent?”

“Wah, wah, wah! What are you saying, Onee-sama?!”

Flustered by what Elnette had said, Josette’s face turned red as she tried to correct her. Kent ended up thinking she looked cute.

““““Well, we already knew.””””

It seemed all the women in the shop already knew. Kent too had been through enough with Josette by now that it did not feel surprising anymore.

“Could it be that all of you already knew about my feelings?”

Josette timidly asked everyone. In response, they all nodded repeatedly.

“Oh dear, I’m so embarrassed I’ll never be able to get married now.”

Saying that, Josette ran out of the shop with her face red.

“Big Brother, go after her.”

Rachel said that to Kent while giving him a thumbs-up.

“Do your best, Kent-san.”

“I’m not exactly thrilled at the thought of more wives being added, but off you go.”

“A powerful rival is being added, but do your best.”

“Fight on, Master.”

“Please take care of my little sister.”

“I don’t really understand what’s going on.”

Seen off by everyone, Kent decided to chase after Josette.

Kent found Josette at the edge of town, by a small flowing river. Josette was sitting there, watching the current.

“Mind if I sit next to you?”

“Ah, Kent-san.”

Realizing that the voice belonged to Kent, Josette lowered her gaze with her face flushed red. Kent sat down beside her before even receiving permission.

“So Elnette was Josette-san’s older sister.”

“That’s right. She had not come home for the past few days, and everyone was worried.”

“Oh dear, so maybe she had been working in secret?”

“I do not think she said a single word about it at home. Then when I entered the shop and saw Onee-sama working there, I asked her, Why are you working in a place like this without contacting us all this time? And then she said she had found a boy she was interested in, so she decided to work there. If we are talking about a man working there, there is only you, is there not? That is why the blood rushed to my head, and we ended up arguing.”

“So then, how far have things progressed with Onee-sama?”

“Huh?”

Naturally, Josette turned the conversation toward Kent.

“Ever since the engagement from the first prince was broken off, Onee-sama devoted herself to sword training and said that men did not matter to her anymore. This was the first time I had ever seen her make a face like that. I was convinced that your relationship must have progressed to a certain degree.”

“Well, I guess about as far as taking a bath together?”

“You bathed together? Even I have not gotten that far yet.”

Josette said that in astonishment.

“I had been holding back out of consideration for Caro-san, but I never knew there was a hidden threat within my own family. When did you come to know Onee-sama?”

Josette asked Kent.

“I first met her a little while ago, when Caro-san and I went to inspect Baron Frederick’s territory, which had recently become a new domain, and we happened to ride the same stagecoach.”

“That was Sampto… yes. I wonder what Onee-sama was doing there.”

“She said she went there to visit an acquaintance, but she could not meet them.”

“Is that so? Onee-sama lives as freely as she pleases, so I do not know the extent of her friendships, but if she went that far just to see someone, perhaps they are close.”

Josette said that to Kent while thinking something over.

“But there is one thing I understand now.”

“What do you understand?”

Kent asked Josette.

“Well… I realized that holding back is no good… wah!”

Josette suddenly shoved Kent.

“Josette-san, what are you—? Uwaaaaaah!”

A sudden force struck him from behind, Kent lost his balance, and fell into the river.