Julius was pale as he walked through town.

''--I can't get a job.''

　I even tried to hide my identity from Ale to get an interview, but Luxion was right, rumors were spreading and no one would hire Julius.

　The embassy asked him if he wanted to take a temporary part-time job, but they were obviously concerned.

　The current Julius couldn't receive the embassy's mercy.

　Because--.

''-- Brad's guy, he's become so popular.

　I look at the flyer on the wall.

　Brad is apparently performing some kind of magic trick.

　He seems to be becoming popular as a beautiful performer.

　Not long ago, I also saw Zilk buying and selling antiques.

　He is surprisingly successful and the amount of money he is moving is significant.

　Both Greg and Chris were working, and they looked very tired when they showed up at the school for make-up work. But they still looked full of life.

'And yet, I'm so pathetic.

　It was frustrating.

　The other four had proven what Leon had said about their ability to make a living.

　And yet, I'm the only one who still hasn't worked.

　When I was depressed, I could smell something very good.

　It was the smell of fragrant grilled chicken.

　The owner of the food stall points one of the skewers at Julius, who looks up.

''Brother, you're depressed again today. Go ahead and eat one.''

No, the money...

　There is no money.

　All I have is pennies.

　The money was also on loan from Leon.

'It's on me. What's going on?

Actually...

　When I explained the situation, the owner laughed out loud.

'Want a job?　Brother, that's what was bothering you?

'It's no laughing matter. I got dropped from all my interviews.

I want to work for a living, you know? I'm not averse to that. You want to work for less money, but you can come work for us.

　Julius smiles at those words.

''Really?!''

　Julius, who actually liked spit-roasting and the like, was becoming interested in the food stalls.

''It's only a short period of time, and even if I had to teach you a job, it would only be a chore.

By all means, please!

　Thus, Julius also found a job.

◇

　The restaurant where I worked part-time.

　At night it was like a pub.

　In the daytime, though, it's just a regular public diner.

"Are you guys rich?　You look kind of dumb, don't you? Buy me a drink!

　A bunch of old local guys were still tangling with my brother and his friends who came to the store where I work today.

　All of them were drunk, and they were tangling with me, not understanding the foreign language.

'Leon, this old man has been saying something to me for a while now?

　I smile and tell my brother.

"That's a compliment to you noble-looking men. I'd be delighted to buy them a drink.

　My drunken brother looks happy.

'Yeah, does it look that way?　I guess I'm becoming a little more aristocratic too. Old man, you're a good judge of character!

　Surrounding the delighted brother are Raymond and Daniel.

''Isn't Mr. Nix starting to look like the next Baron?

But then again, old men in the Republic are good at watching. Hey, Leon. Give the old men a drink!

　I smile.

Every time~. Manager, please bring out the booze!

　The manager pulls a face at me.

'-- I don't know what you said to those customers over there, but I understand that you tricked them.

'Sometimes the truth hurts people. So we fool them with a gentle lie. People can get along. The store makes money. See, no one is losing money. Besides, I'm a nice guy and I don't want to see everyone fight.

'I don't want to trust anyone who says they're nice to me, though. Jean, Noel, you can carry the drinks for me.

Yes!

I'm on it!

　Hurriedly, Jean poured the drinks and Noel carried them in.

　Working quickly, Noel seemed to be accustomed to the atmosphere of the bar.

　A drunken customer reaches for Noel's buttocks and slaps his hand.

'No touching!　My ass isn't cheap.

Oh, I'm scared.

　The owner glared at the customer who had misbehaved.

'Sir, you've had too much to drink. I'm going to have to take down the treats from your brothers.'

Hold on. I'm sorry. So you don't have to bring the booze with you.

　In the noisy store, I do my job.

　Jean approached me.

'You like Mr. Noel, manager, I know you like him.

　I laughed.

'Because the name I gave my daughter is Noel. Maybe it's because she said she felt something fated or something?

　The manager's daughter's name is Noelle.

　And Jean's dog's name is Noel.

　Noel is everywhere.

　Noel and others had a good laugh when they heard Jean's story, though.

　-- you forget that I got a slap on the wrist from my fiancé for that?

　More importantly, business is booming, thanks to my brother and friends.

　When I'm about to carry my drink, the manager talks to me.

'Huh?　Rion, are people in your country allowed to drink at that age?　You didn't drink, did you?

　That's right. I don't drink.

"Oh, my rules. I don't drink until I'm 20.

Is that so?

　The curious manager goes back to work.

　A customer who had been bought a drink by his brothers was drinking with great pleasure.

'Thanks again, brothers!　I'm starting to look like a good man if you look closely. I guess that's proof that I'm sober!

　They squared their shoulders and laughed at each other.

'I don't know what you're talking about, but I know it's a compliment!　Leon, more drinks and nibbles!

Always.

　My brother was quite drunk.

　It's a sight that shows you that you don't need words to communicate with each other as long as you're sober.

　--You're funny.

◇

　On the way home.

　I'm taking Noel to the house.

　I also go to the mansion to meet up with Angel and the others as part of my daily routine.

　We talk on the way home, and it's casual conversation.

'Dr. Clément has been babbling about a lot of things and I'm afraid of him. He asked me which one to choose for a single, or to go for a gorgeous double. I'm afraid of the way he looks at Chris and Greg. I don't know what the hell they're doing.

　I'm afraid of the way Mr. Clément looks at Chris and Greg when they meet for supplemental training.

　They both feel mindlessly thin, or rather, toned.

　Their skin glow is good, but they're even more tired.

　I don't think they're doing anything strange--'

'Clement?　I hear you enjoy going to public bathrooms these days.

A public bathhouse?　What, the obscene kind?

What's indecent in a public bathhouse?　It's just a regular bathhouse.

　What is going on between your sister, Dr. Clément, and those two?

　We were walking together and my stomach rumbled.

　--not me.

　Noel, who looks embarrassed, is holding his stomach and scratching his hair.

'I'm sorry. It just smelled so good.

Is that a grilled chicken?

　I peeked into a nearby stall to see if I could get something to eat.

"Hey, come on!

　--Julius was there, wearing a twisted hairstyle.

'You, what are you doing here?'

　To my surprise, Julius straightens up and puts his hand on his chest.

'I'm working,'

　Its imposing appearance seems to say that there is no shame in it.

　No, I'm not going to say that the stall is no good or anything like that.

　But it was too unexpected.

　Noel looks at Julius while whispering to me for confirmation.

''This guy was originally the Crown Prince, right?''

Yeah. He's a funny guy. It's funny if you weren't involved, but the point is that the people closest to you aren't funny at all.

　I can't be bothered to laugh either.

　The stall owner was laughing behind Julius.

'This brother has never even tasted a chicken. There's too much about youngsters nowadays that they don't know.'

　Julius apologized to the shopkeeper.

'I'm sorry. I'm sorry for the trouble I caused you the first time I rustled a chicken.'

What? Now you can. You've just got to get on with it.

　The owner doesn't know it, but that guy is a prince in the kingdom of Holfert.

　What am I supposed to do with this?

　Noel is in trouble, too.

　But Julius is smiling.

'Baltphalt, I'm going to be the man here!

　--How long do you intend to remain in the Republic?

　I don't want to return home before I'm finished with my own career!

Just give me 20 skewers for now.

Maido!

　I stopped thinking about it and I bought a skewer.

◇

　Meanwhile, at that time.

　Angel is waiting for Rion to arrive at Marie's mansion.

　He's worried about the fact that he's coming back later than usual.

'Rion's guy is slow.

　Floating, Claire teased Angel.

''Oh?　Are you worried about it?　'It's okay. There's a twisted man watching over you, and the Master is a lousy a**h*le and won't mess with Noel.'

　Livia, who was with him, wasn't convinced of Noel's case.

'Angel, are you sure you're going to take Noel back?　It's too much to ask for confirmation of his intentions.

　At Libya's words, Angier gave a small smile.

'You're sweet. But the house you were born into is your home. You can't escape the fate of that woman and her sister. Even more so if you have the qualities of a maiden.''

　When Livia is depressed, Cleare comforts her.

'It's okay. The Master doesn't plan to force you to do anything. If you're so inclined, I can find a way to extract the energy from the saplings. I - I'm very good at that sort of thing. I don't need a miko or anything.''

　Livia looks up.

'What do you really think, Leon-san?　I didn't know what Mr. Noel was thinking either.

　Noel hadn't been able to have much conversation with them.

　Clairé guessed the reason for this.

'I almost messed with a stranger's man. It's a bit awkward, of course. You're not as brazen as Marie-chan, are you?'

What does that mean?

　Marie, who was listening to the conversation beside her, was angry.

　But when Angier glared at her, she shut up.

'You meant it just the way it was. Let me tell you, I haven't personally forgiven you, you know. Don't forget that.

I'm sorry.

　Livia returns to the conversation.

'But they're about to take you away. I'm sure you must be heartbroken. Besides, isn't it strange that you're taking only one person with you when you have your sister with you?

Emile Laz Prévin, the next head of the Six Noble Houses, I hear you're in love with him. I wonder if House Previn will ever let her go?

But!

　Angel drinks his tea.

(-- bad tea.)

　The aroma is bad and the taste is bad.

　I don't understand why I bought these tea leaves.

　Angel didn't know about the sad situation in Marie's life, that Zilk bought them in large quantities and drank them on a daily basis because he had trouble getting rid of them.

　He put the cup down and opened his mouth.

'It's the same if you leave it in the Republic. That woman won't be happy. Then at least--'

　I was just about to say it when the head maid shouted.

''Angelica-sama!''

　At the sound of hurried footsteps, Angier quickly stood up and looked at Clairvoyant.

'What happened?'

I know you have a group of Republican soldiers here. We need to contact that cynical little bastard, but we can't reach him. This is a bit tricky. There are too many of them.

What?　What the hell?!

　Marie panicked and Libya stood up too.

'Angel, why are the soldiers of the Republic coming?'

　Angier closes his eyelids for a few moments, then opens them slowly.

'The Respinus family's case, apparently, has been made known.

◇

It's true. I'm not a liar.

　On the way home, I was talking to Noel.

'It's a lie! Because you just don't tell lies, do you?　You've been fooling your hometown friends again today.

　The conversation with Noel, who is not Angier or Libya, is quite exciting.

'It's terrible. This is still selling honesty.

'I see. Then - what is such an honest Leon going to do with me in the kingdom?

　Suddenly, the seriousness of the story shakes out.

　I knew that one day I would be asked.

　He holds the paper bag containing the skewers he purchased with one hand and clears his hair with his free hand.

''-- I'm not going to force you to take him. I'm sure I can convince Angel to go.

'Are you sure you want to do that?　Wouldn't bringing me back help Leon get ahead?

Career?　I'm so over my head now, there's no way I'm going to get any more promotion. Besides, I'd rather stay in the countryside and be non-stop. I don't like the sludge of the court.

　Noel turned over and looked sad, as if he could understand.

'I can understand. It's the same with my parents' house. We're twins, so there was a struggle in the house over which one to carry.'

　It was something I hadn't heard from Lelia.

'Lelia didn't seem to know anything about it?

“--The girl didn’t have the aptitude for it. She almost got caught up in it, but thanks to her, she was saved.

　I felt like he was hiding something.

　For a moment, I thought my expression changed - was it my imagination?

The aptitude of a maiden. How do we find out?

My mom says Lelia doesn't have any talent. That's all. A miko is a being who can talk to the Holy Tree, so I guess it's Holy Tree's decision.　So the vassals who were trying to carry Lelia were disappointed. But it was all for the best. If it wasn't, one of us would have died.

　It's all sludge everywhere.

'So Lelia didn't know because she wasn't told?　So the kids who aren't qualified don't need to know.

That's all well and good. The fact that we had the aptitude for it didn't mean anything to us at the time--

　I heard the sound of something approaching.

　As I got into position against the wall that sheltered Noel, I looked up at the sky.

'Up?'

　Allogants were descending there.

　It looks like Luxion is with him.

'Master, prepare for battle at once. ''The Republic has taken up arms.''

'Is this too late?　But still, you're slow to notice. You've been slacking off.

"No, sir. The jamming--

　As Alogants landed in front of us, the area suddenly became brighter.

　The strong light is directed at us, and our eyes are too painful to open.

　As we squint, we hear footsteps.

　A group of armed soldiers surround us and a man steps out of them.

　Noel muttered.

Serge.

　Serge, whose expression was obscured by the backlighting, had a divine manner of speaking.

'It's been a while, Noel. --I'm here to pick you up.