2-7 - To Become Happy

“Alice was taken away…? By whom?”

“That is, well… Blake-sama.”

“—What!? He came here!?”

“He visited just a moment ago. But since he seemed to know you were away, Leon-sama, it appears Alice-san was his goal from the start.”

“Alice was his goal…”

Come to think of it, when Claire-nee brought Alice over, Blake was watching us. Could he have had his eyes on Alice ever since then?

…No, speculating can wait for later. At any rate, I have to save Alice right now.

“So, when was Alice taken away?”

“…Are you, are you really going to save her? You know what will happen if you oppose Blake-sama, don’t you?”

“…I know.”

Turning Blake into an enemy means turning Caroline-san into an enemy. I have to be prepared for the absolute worst-case scenario.

Even so, though, there was no way I could just leave Alice to her fate.

“Marie, I’m counting on you in case of emergency. I think Claire-nee will at least hear us out.”

Leaving behind those words, I turned on my heel to go save Alice. As I did, Marie called out to me.

“Alice-san was taken away just a moment ago, so if you hurry, you should be able to catch up. Please, save Alice-san.”

“Leave it to me. I’ll definitely bring Alice back!”

Dashing out of the detached building, I headed straight for the main residence. The sun had completely set before I knew it, and the path leading to the main residence was beginning to be stained pale blue under the influence of the blue moon.

Relying on the light of the bonfires posted here and there, I ran down the path leading toward the mansion. Then, halfway along the path to the estate, I heard what sounded like an argument between Alice and a man.

“Enough already! Do you think you’re in a position to defy me!?”

“I am Leon-sama’s slave, not yours!”

“If you’re his slave, you’re as good as mine! Stop babbling, strip off your clothes quickly, and kneel!”

Agh, that piece-of-trash brother! What is he trying to make Alice do!?

Clenching my fists, I ran toward the bushes where the voices were coming from.

“My only master is Leon-sama! I will not listen to anything you say!”

“Enough already. If you refuse to listen, I can easily make that fellow suffer a terrible fate, you know?”

“—…”

“Hmph, it seems you’ve finally realized your place. Now, quickly do as I say.”

“You coward!”

“…A coward? You dare call me, of all people, a coward!? Don’t push your luck!”

A sharp slapping sound echoed, and almost simultaneously, Alice’s muffled voice resounded. At that exact moment, I burst through the bushes and tumbled out into a small open area.

And what I saw there was Blake with his right hand swung through, and Alice holding her cheek, down on her knees.

“—Alice!”

I rushed to Alice’s side with all my strength.

“…Leon-sama? Why are you here…? I am fine, so please go back, Leon-sama.”

Alice’s clinging gaze lasted for only a moment; she immediately assumed a pushing-me-away attitude. There was no need to wonder about the reason; she was worrying about me after hearing Blake’s threat earlier.

Geez, this was hardly the time to be worrying about someone else—I let out a soft, wry smile. To reassure her, I gently petted Alice’s cherry-blossom-colored hair.

“…Leon-sama?”

“It’s okay, Alice. I promised, right?”

That we’d become happy together—I muttered silently, without letting the words out loud.

“…Leon-sama. …Yes, yes!”

“Alright, good girl. Now wait right here while I settle things.”

Patting Alice’s head just one more time, I stood up and turned around to face Blake once again. He was trembling all over with rage.

“…You bastard, why are you here?”

“That’s my line. Bringing Alice to a place like this, what on earth were you planning to do?”

“Ha, isn’t that obvious? That beautiful girl is far too good for you. I was going to make her my woman.”

Just as expected, a trashy answer. I was about to snap from that alone, but I desperately suppressed my anger, knowing I couldn’t protect Alice if I lost my temper here.

“…Alice is my slave. No matter who you are, I won’t let you do as you please.”

“Look who’s talking. Do you think you can oppose me? If you don’t hand that woman over, I can always report nonsense about you to Mother, you know?”

…He really is the absolute worst. And troublesome as it was, in this world—especially inside this mansion—his argument would actually pass through.

Even if I was the only one being punished, it would be bad enough, but there was a possibility Alice might be expelled just like Milly, or officially made into Blake’s slave.

“It seems you’ve finally realized your standing. Now, give up, leave that girl behind, and beat it.”

Talking as he pleases. There’s no way I could accept a demand like that.

“What’s wrong, can’t you do as I say? Don’t worry, once I grow tired of her, I’ll return her to you.”

He uttered vulgar lines with a lustful expression. Illuminated and swaying in the light of the bonfires, Blake’s face appeared all the more hideous.

I wanted to punch that face right this second… but I couldn’t.

Given the difference in physical size, there was no way I could win, and even if I managed to push through this situation by force, it would mean nothing if I lost to the greater power of authority.

…Calm down. If I make a wrong move here, I won’t be able to save Alice. I have to think calmly.

Using force is out of the question. That said, he isn’t the kind of person who would listen if I begged for mercy. Therefore, to get through this situation, the only way is to make Blake himself give up, but…

Blake’s goal is Alice herself. And the reason for that is because he lusted after Alice. In other words, if Alice lacks charm, Blake will lose interest?

If so—

“…Alice, will you trust me?”

I asked Alice in a low voice. Without a moment’s hesitation, Alice gave a firm nod.

“What are you whispering about?”

“It’s nothing much. I merely ordered her to attend to your bedtime duties.”

Suppressing the anger inside me, I stood up and addressed him in a polite tone.

“…Hmph, you’ve finally resigned yourself. You should have handed her over obediently from the start.”

“My apologies. You are quite right—Brother.”

The moment Blake felt pleased, I casually called him Brother. Immediately after, just like that day, Blake’s face was painted with rage.

“…You bastard, what did you just call me?”

“Eh, what is it, Brother? Did I say something strange, Brother?”

“Don’t fool around! Didn’t I tell you not to call me Brother, you filthy mistress’s child!?”

Unlike that day, it was probably because he had nothing to throw. He surged forward to punch me directly. That’s why, before he could close the distance, I uttered that single sentence.

“Aren’t you misunderstanding something? You were the one who recognized me as your younger brother first, weren’t you?”

“…What did you say?”

Those words were likely impossible to ignore. Blake stopped in his tracks.

“Alice is my slave, you know?”

“What does that have to do with anything!”

“Ha, do you still not understand?”

“I’m asking what you mean by that! Just hurry up and tell me!”

“Th-at’s why I’m saying it’s like this.”

While Alice remained seated, I embraced her from behind and grabbed a handful of her bountiful chest.

“—Eek!”

She must have trusted me. A surprised Alice let out a voice, but showed no sign of resistance. Taking advantage of that, I toyed with Alice’s chest. In sync with the movements of my hand, Alice let out a sweet voice.

…Or rather, I thought they were big, but this really is incredible. It might partly be because my hands are small, but it’s remarkably soft… Come to think of it, do bras even exist in this world?

…………No, let’s stop thinking deeply about this.

“You bastard, what have you been doing since earlier!?”

“What do you mean ‘what’? Don’t you understand? It’s this kind of thing.”

Using the hand opposite the one grabbing her chest, I pulled the collar of her clothes, exposing Alice’s neck. A kiss mark remained on that white neck of hers.

Adjusting our orientation so that Blake could see it in the light of the bonfire, I deliberately put on a vulgar grin.

“I spent a whole year thoroughly training Alice every night to my own liking. What to do to make me happy, and how to behave to charm a man, you see.”

“What did you say…?”

…Hmm? What’s with this reaction? Could it be that he didn’t even know the nominal reason why Alice came to my place in the first place? Hey now, at least look into that much before coming here.

Well, whatever, that’s actually more convenient.

“Brother, you’re saying you want to lay with that kind of Alice, right? Laying with the same woman makes us brothers. Even you understand this meaning, right, Brother?”

“Wh-at, y-you…”

He was turning so red it looked as if the blood vessels in his brain might burst. To that Blake, I delivered the final blow.

“Ah, my apologies. You’re not my older brother, are you? Since you’re saying you want to lay with a woman I trained to my liking after the fact, that makes you the younger brother. …Isn’t that right, Little Brother?”

“Don’t mess with me—!”

Enraged, Blake came charging over. Seeing that, I subtly moved to ensure Alice wouldn’t get caught up in it. At that moment, I was blown away by a punch from Blake.

“Don’t get cocky, you filthy mistress’s child! I was just teasing you a bit, who on earth would be interested in a woman you’ve laid with!?”

Blake continued to hurl insults at me as I was sent flying, and went on to deliver a barrage of follow-up kicks.

After those passed around ten strikes, his anger finally seemed to abate, and breathing heavily, Blake walked away.

Lying on the grass, I made sure Blake was completely out of sight. Then, after counting to a full thirty seconds, I sat up.

“…………Phew. Saved.”

Instantly, Alice came clinging to me.

“Leon-sama! Leon-sama, Leon-sama!”

“…Alice, are you alright? He didn’t do anything terrible to you, did he?”

“I, I am fine. More importantly, are you okay, Leon-sama!?”

“I’m fine. I properly warded off the punch when I was hit, and I blocked the kicks too.”

That was a lie. While I warded off the punch, there was no way to block the kicks added while I was down. There was a difference in physical size, and I took considerable damage, but… I put on a brave face to put Alice at ease.

“I’m sorry. For acting in a way that degraded you.”

“I don’t mind that! But provoking him like that was far too reckless! You could have been killed, you know!?”

“Well, as for that, indeed… it’s terrifying that I can’t completely deny the possibility.”

From a loss-and-profit calculation, it should be impossible, but Blake has a short temper. If he had been holding a sword, I can’t deny the possibility that he might have instinctively slashed me.

“If you knew that, why did you do something so reckless!?”

“Because there was no other way to save you, Alice.”

“I… I didn’t want to be saved at the cost of sacrificing you, Leon-sama!”

“Alice…?”

“Do you know how I felt while you were being kicked, Leon-sama!?”

“While I was being kicked?”

Come to think of it, Alice didn’t step in to stop him. I was worried that if Alice stepped in to stop him, Blake’s anger might turn toward her too.

“If I raised a hand, your kindness would go to waste, Leon-sama. Thinking that, I desperately suppressed my urge to save you.”

“I see. So you grasped my intention.”

“That’s right. But I wanted to step in and help! Rather than making you a scapegoat, Leon-sama, I would rather endure it myself. So please, don’t do anything so reckless ever again!”

“Alice…”

Alice never viewed herself lightly. She was always seeking happiness, living with all her strength. That Alice was saying she would rather endure it herself if it meant I would get hurt…

Wow, what should I do? Realizing that Alice was thinking the exact same way I was made me a little—no, extremely happy.

“…You said it before, didn’t you, Leon-sama? That you have to become happy. Even so, what are you doing not cherishing yourself? Or was what you said about wanting to become happy a lie?”

“…It wasn’t a lie. But, that’s precisely why. It’s because I want to become happy that I thought about saving you, Alice, even if it meant being reckless.”

“What… do you mean by that?”

“…It’s the same as you, Alice. I don’t want you to be sacrificed either. I don’t want to abandon you and save only myself. I feel that even if I were saved alone like that, I wouldn’t be able to be happy.”

I tightly hugged Alice’s body as she clung to me.

“Leon-sama?”

“I told you, didn’t I? Let’s become happy together.”

The same as one year ago—yet words with a slightly different meaning embedded within them. Alice, whose body had been stiff until now, entrusted her frame to me.

“…Is it really okay for me to believe you?”

“My feelings aren’t a lie. If you believe in me, I’ll protect you with all my strength. Because that’s one of the conditions for me to become happy. …However,”

Just now, I managed to pull the wool over Blake’s eyes with smooth talking, but if Blake shamelessly reports nonsense without any regard for his honor—I and Alice will probably be separated as early as tomorrow.

In such a situation, there’s no way I can guarantee that it’s safe to trust me.

“My standing in this mansion is the absolute lowest, after all. We managed somehow just now, but next time my power might not be enough. Even so—”

“Even so, I will believe in you, Leon-sama.”

“Is that really okay? Even if there’s no lie in my desire to protect you, I don’t know if I can actually protect you to the end, you know?”

“If your feelings are genuine, that is more than enough. Besides, I won’t just be protected. I will also protect you for the sake of my own happiness, Leon-sama. Because that is one of the conditions for me to become happy.”

Alice smiled slightly, looking a bit shy.

“I see. In that case, we’ll have to protect each other.”

“—For the sake of each other’s happiness, right?”

“That’s right. And first, for that purpose, we need to handle this incident properly.”

“You think Blake-sama might still do something?”

“…I don’t know.”

To put it plainly, I couldn’t even imagine how Blake would move. Whether he’d keep quiet because he wanted to conceal this incident, or spread nonsense to exact revenge on me.

“Because we don’t know, we have to prepare for the worst, right?”

“That’s right. If we prepare for the worst and it ends up being unnecessary worry, that’s fine, but if we take an optimistic view and end up facing the worst outcome, there’ll be no turning back.”

If Blake spreads nonsense around, Caroline-san will likely become our enemy.

If that happens, we’ll need a means to oppose or negotiate with Caroline-san, but… it would be too heavy a burden for Claire-nee.

If so, there’s only one person who might be a possibility.

“We have no choice but to meet my father.”

“…Robert-sama? Will he take our side?”

“I wonder…”

He’ll probably at least hear us out. But whether he’ll take our side is uncertain. And even if he does take our side, whether he can protect everything is a touchy subject.

Even so, if there are no other means, it can’t be helped. To live freely and become happy, I—we—just have to believe in the possibilities and move forward.