[ENG] Eroge no Hakushaku Reijou Volume 1 Chapter 2

Chapter 2: A genius tries his best

"What the hell!? Fog just rolled in out of nowhere!"

"Yeah, and it’s a creepy black one at that!"

Thanks to my dark magic, the area around the carriage was now shrouded in black fog, reducing visibility to something worse than a raging blizzard, or so it seemed.

The carriage slowed to a walking pace, and I leapt out in front of it, my face hidden by a hood and mask. The knight serving as coachman yanked hard on the reins.

"Who are you, you bastard!? Do you dare commit this outrage knowing this carriage belongs to Lotus Magdalía, Captain of the Royal Guard!?"

"I have no name to give to small fry. If you don’t want to die, get lost!"

"Do you think a Royal Guard would fear death!?"

Another knight, also acting as coachman, dismounted from the carriage and drew his sword.

"Hah! Learn that bravado alone won’t win you anything! [Slumbering Darkness]!"

"Wha… what… my eyelids feel… heavy… zzz…"

Thanks to the synergy with the black fog, the hypnosis worked like a charm. With the dark magic of a Black Knight, I lured both men and horses into the realm of dreams. Then, a massive man—looking like some post-apocalyptic warlord fresh out of hibernation—emerged awkwardly from the carriage’s passenger compartment, surveying the surroundings.

"Even the horses went down with them, huh? Man, knights these days are getting soft!"

"Funny coincidence. I couldn’t agree more."

The giant smirked at my words, the corner of his mouth twitching upward before his face returned to a stern, impassive mask. He introduced himself in true knightly fashion.

"My name is Holy Knight Lotus Magdalía. You seem awfully small—too small for this to be mere child’s play taken too far."

This muscle-bound knight bore no resemblance to the delicate Elise! His brawny physique was probably a rip-off—er, homage—to that overlord from a post-apocalyptic "Hyahha!" world who’d rule with just his fists. A generic Fist King… Lotus had absurdly high magic resistance, but his subordinates were snoring loudly. I prodded their armor with my toe while throwing a jab at Lotus.

(T/N: "Hyahha" This is the key part that adds flavor. "Hyahha" (or "ヒャッハー" in Japanese) is an onomatopoeia often used in Japanese pop culture to represent a wild, maniacal laugh. It’s strongly associated with chaotic, rough-and-tumble characters—think bandits, raiders, or thugs in a post-apocalyptic setting. The most iconic example of this trope comes from Fist of the North Star (Hokuto no Ken), a classic manga and anime set in a post-apocalyptic world. In that series, mohawked, leather-clad bandits frequently yell "Hyahha!" as they pillage and fight, embodying a savage, anarchic energy.)

"What about your men, who’ve been so easily toyed with by little ol’ me? They can’t even stop a prank…"

"I’ll concede that. These fools will be put through rigorous training later."

"Hahaha! You talk like you’ll just waltz out of this mess!"

"It’s not about winning or losing. It’s about being a knight!"

Lotus drew a massive sword, easily as tall as he was. But he didn’t charge at me.

"Won’t you draw your blade, warrior?"

Showing the dignity of a Holy Knight, Lotus exuded the aura of a seasoned warrior, waiting honorably for his opponent to arm themselves—unlike his underlings.

"Draw!"

What I gripped in my hand… was just a wooden sword.

"So, you’re saying a wooden sword is enough for the likes of me? Know that overconfidence will be your undoing!"

I’d hoped to rile him up, but Lotus only simmered quietly with indignation, closing the distance step by step.

"DEYAAAAAHHHH────!"

Clever!

Lotus exploited the reach advantage, swinging his greatsword down from a distance where I couldn’t land a fatal blow.

Pon♪

But I didn’t panic. I dodged the tip and lightly tapped the blade of his greatsword with my wooden sword.

"Kukuku, Holy Knight, shall I recommend a good weaponsmith?"

"It seems I underestimated you."

Lotus discarded the now-useless hilt. The greatsword, struck by my tap, had snapped cleanly in half at the middle and lay in pieces on the ground.

He grabbed the weapon strapped to his back and spouted some grandiose nonsense.

"Swords were never my thing anyway. A real man fights with a mace!"

(Oh, you’ve done it now!)

I nearly blurted that out loud!

Anyway, it finally felt like the real fight was starting.

"So, you’re finally getting serious… Make sure it’s not another farce this time."

My words, translated into Nord, came out dripping with provocation toward Lotus. If a kid around ten years old said this to him, most adults would lose their cool and respond with childish pettiness—but Lotus stayed composed. He really was a remarkable man.

Raising his mace high overhead, Lotus brought it down with ferocious force.

His aim was wild, but when the mace hit the ground, it kicked up stones and dust that flew toward me.

I deflected the speeding rocks with my wooden sword, handling them easily…

"Not bad. A slight improvement over the sword. But did you really think you could take me down with pebbles?"

I didn’t fancy getting covered in sand, though, so when he raised the mace for another swing, I closed the distance myself.

"You’re coming to me!?"

Thud.

I caught Lotus’s full-force blow—his biceps bulging with effort—with one hand.

"What’s wrong, Holy Knight? Weren’t you going to crush me?"

"No way!? A mere boy stopping my mace… with one hand!?"

And with my wooden sword still in my right hand, no less—I’d caught it with just my left. I could’ve used [Obsidian Reinforcement], but I wanted to test how much stronger my raw strength had gotten.

Alright! My physical power had clearly grown a lot, so it was time to slip away before my identity got exposed!

"Hmph, so this is the best a Holy Knight can do… What a letdown. Well, maybe we’ll meet again someday. Farewell!"

ZOOOOOM────!

Lotus let the mace slip from his hands, standing there stunned. When it hit the ground, it buried itself more than halfway into the earth.

I couldn’t resist tossing one last taunt his way before maxing out the black fog’s density and hightailing it out of there.

A week later.

(Ugh, I’m finally getting used to the air in this other world…)

I was stretching my arms on the balcony of the mansion when a booming voice echoed up to me.

"I beg your presence! I heard a Nord Villance resides here—is he home!?"

What the—!?

Peering down, I saw a bear in armor at the front gate.

No way—how did he figure out it was me!?

This is bad, this is bad!

If the Royal Guard found out I’d picked a fight with them, I could be arrested at worst…

As I tiptoed back into the room, Lotus’s sharp eyes caught me.

"Lord Nord—no, Great Master Nord! I’ve come to ask you to take me as your disciple!"

"Huh? Disciple?"

I had no idea what he was talking about.

Villance Family Parlor

I knew I shouldn’t laugh, but seeing Lotus sit in a chair made me picture a circus bear riding a bicycle.

Meina-san and Marie, clearly unnerved by the hulking, unexpected visitor, peeked anxiously through the door crack.

They must’ve been dying to know what was going on. Before long, Meina-san—despite not being a serving maid—took it upon herself to play the part, pouring tea into cups for me and Lotus.

Lotus gave Meina-san a polite nod before sipping from a tiny teacup that looked comically mismatched with his massive frame. I couldn’t help but find it hilarious—his thick fingers barely fit through the handle.

After drinking about half, Lotus spoke.

"I’ve come to request that you, Lord Nord, take me as your disciple."

He might’ve been huge, but his demeanor was humble. After speaking, he bowed so low it looked like he might headbutt the table.

"Hmm, I refuse!"

But put yourself in my shoes! A guy over twenty begging a kid around ten to be his master—talk about absurd.

"Besides, if word got out that you apprenticed under a brat like me, what would happen to the Royal Guard? Your reputation would be shot."

"No need to worry! To ensure that wouldn’t be an issue, I’ve resigned as Captain of the Royal Guard, so rest easy!"

No, don’t resign!

Now I’m the one worried… That could literally cause the downfall of the Magdalía earldom.

Seeing I wouldn’t budge, Lotus threw out an incomprehensible suggestion.

"Then how about I offer my beloved little sister Elise as your bride…?"

"What!?"

Why is it that the harder I try to avoid death flags, the more they come rushing toward me!?

As I stood there dumbfounded, Lotus began singing the praises of Elise.

"I know it’s self-serving to say, but my little sister Elise is so dear to me I could gaze at her forever without tiring. She’s beautiful beyond what you’d expect from someone like me, and her temperament is truly kind. If you’d just meet her, Lord Nord, I’m certain you’d take a liking to her… And then, as my brother-in-law, there’d be no issue of propriety, would there?"

Yeah, I already know all about her… But I pretended otherwise, listening intently to Lotus’s proud boasts about his sister.

Seriously, though—becoming his brother-in-law to save face? Is that really what this is about?

"Mari’s the only sibling I need. The thought of calling you ‘big brother’ makes my skin crawl!"

That aside, I had a few questions, so I turned to Lotus.

"How did you figure out it was me?"

"That swordsmanship with Galianus—it could only belong to the Villance family."

Damn it…

Because I wielded the wooden sword with such flexibility, someone as sharp as Lotus saw right through me.

There’s no day I’ve cursed my beloved sword Galianus, resting beside the parlor fireplace—not a traditional alcove, mind you—more than today.

I wanted to slump over the table, elbows down and head in hands, but thanks to some correcting force, I ended up with my feet on the table, arms crossed, leaning back in a seriously rude posture.

From the way Lotus spoke, it seemed I’d grown far stronger than even I’d anticipated…

If I had a beast-taming skill, I might’ve trained Lotus to do a ball-balancing act just to make Marie happy. Sadly, the only thing I’m fit to train is probably girls.

Picture it: me riding Lotus while breaking in some ladies…

But I had zero interest in taking disciples, so I threw out a flimsy excuse, shooing Lotus away like I’d chase off a stray dog.

"Lotus, you and I use different weapons. I’ve got nothing to teach you. Go home!"

"And if I say I won’t leave until you take me as a disciple?"

"Then I’ll beat you until you do!"

"Bring it on!"

Lotus and I downed the tea Meina-san had brewed, set our cups on their saucers as a signal, and bolted for the balcony, shoving the door open in a competitive rush.

"Hup!"

With a shout, Lotus vaulted over the railing, leaping from the fourth floor into the garden below. I, on the other hand, slammed on the brakes and quietly shut the balcony door.

[Concealment Barrier]

Using my magic, I made the Villance estate invisible to Lotus.

"Nord-sama, are you sure that was alright?"

Meina-san watched Lotus frantically searching for the mansion outside, her voice tinged with concern.

"Leave him be. Bears aren’t meant to be tamed by humans."

"Y-Yes…"

Humans and bears just don’t mix.

That alone would be one thing, but Lotus—while not a villain like me—is Elise’s big brother, and that’s a problem in itself! Trying to marry her off to me without even asking her opinion? That’s not just meathead logic—it’s downright scummy…

"Big brother… Marie…"

"Oh, right, of course."

Marie peeked cautiously through the parlor door, then, realizing no guests remained, dashed over and grabbed my sleeve.

The next morning, I was preparing to go on a picnic with Marie. The butlers loaded a large travel trunk onto the back of the carriage, the coachmen finished inspecting the one we’d ride, and all that was left was to set off. But…

"Meina, what are you doing? You’re with us."

"Lord Nord, I’m just a maid…"

Meina-san was about to climb onto the outside of the carriage instead of the passenger compartment, so I urged her inside.

"Don’t make me repeat myself. To me and Marie, you’re like a mother. Your place is obvious. Or do you not want to ride with us?"

"N-No, not at all! If anything, I’d love to smother you both with my bosom and spoil you rotten…"

"I-I see…"

Meina-san blushed, looking away from me as she kneaded her chest like she was warming up for something.

"Yay! Marie loves Meina’s boobies!"

Marie clung tightly to Meina-san’s leg, beaming with delight.

I love them too! …Not that I’d say it out loud.

The carriage rolled out from the estate, heading toward a small hill visible in the distance. I’d promised Marie a picnic once my training hit a milestone, and the little girl was over the moon.

After about an hour of traveling through the domain, we neared the hill’s summit. I called out to the young coachman.

"Moran, stop the carriage."

"A grand outdoor welcome party, I take it?"

"Yeah, you catch on quick."

Moran was young but sharp among the servants, always picking up on my intentions. He calmed the horses, gently brought the carriage to a stop, and opened the passenger door for us.

The moment I stepped out, I let out a sharp shout.

For someone like me—specialized in concealment, assassination, and espionage—even if they hid cleverly in the shadows, their forms stood out as clearly as if I’d used thermal vision.

"What can a bunch of small fry do just by gathering together? Stop hiding and come out!"

From the hollow between the hills, people began emerging one by one.

Five, ten, a hundred—eventually nearly a thousand. It felt like we were about to start a war against demons or something.

The first two men to step forward caught my eye.

"Well, well, back for another beating? You’ve got guts."

It was the two knights who’d guarded Lotus.

"Hmph, thought you could overwhelm me with numbers, huh…? Moran! Take care of Meina and Marie!"

"Yes! B-But, Lord Nord…"

"What, you think I’d fall behind against trash like this?"

"N-No, I didn’t mean…"

Even Moran, who’d seen my training up close, must’ve thought a thousand knights was a lot. But my nursemaid and little sister had the opposite reaction.

"Moran! Don’t be a scaredy-cat! Onii-chan can’t lose!"

"Exactly, Moran. Have faith in Lord Nord."

"Y-Yes…"

While the two scolded Moran, the knights—apparently out for revenge—raised a war cry.

WOOOOOOOOO─────!!

Knights, and even their horses, clad in full plate armor, drew their swords and charged straight at me, roaring all the way.

"I’m several times stronger now than when I took those two down! I’ll personally sing your requiem!"

It was the moment I drew Galianus.

The knights halted their advance in unison, maintaining a fixed distance from me. Holding their swords before their faces as if in a salute, they began shouting.

"Nord! Nord! Nord! Nord! Nord! Nord, Nord, Nord, Nord, NORDOOOOOOO─────────────!"

Out of nowhere, they roared my name like a battle cry.

What’s going on here?

It’s a little embarrassing in front of my family—please stop…

"Enough! What do you think a person’s name is!?"

At my sharp command, the chanting stopped as cleanly as if they’d rehearsed it.

The knights began whispering among themselves about me.

"That’s Lord Nord, the new captain, wielding the fearsome Galianus—a blade no ordinary man could ever master!"

"Terrifying yet dependable!"

"And that’s not all—he’s strikingly handsome too!"

They chattered on about me, but hearing men call me good-looking made me instinctively want to cover my rear…

The two knights I’d put to sleep with magic knelt before me.

"Lord Nord—no, Captain Nord—we humbly apologize once again for our rudeness, both from the other day and now. I am Gazel, and this is Fulton. We of the Royal Guard have come to welcome you as Lord Lotus’s successor. Please, we beg you to grant Lord Lotus’s wish."

Neither Lotus nor these knights cared one bit about my opinion…

"Don’t just make me captain without asking!"

"We swear our loyalty to you, Captain Nord!"

At Gazel’s words, the surrounding knights nodded deeply in agreement.

"I don’t need your loyalty!"

"If that’s the case, we’ll offer our hearts to prove our devotion to you, Captain!"

"‘Aye!’"

The knights began removing their breastplates, each grabbing a knife and holding it to their chest.

No way—they’re not about to off themselves, are they?

"Let’s prove our loyalty!"

"‘Aye!’"

"Damn it! What a bunch of troublesome idiots!!"

[Marionette]

I paralyzed their bodies with magic, stopping their absurd display of loyalty.

"You fools! Your lives are meant to be offered to the nation, not me!"

"‘Huh!?’"

Well, in Rise of Valor, Nord ends up controlling Ackersen anyway, so it’s kind of the same thing…

Finally realizing their foolishness, they froze with stunned expressions for a moment before one slowly spoke up.

"As expected of Lord Nord…"

"What a paragon of loyalty… I’m ashamed I nearly threw my life away pointlessly."

"Truly, only Lord Nord is fit to be our captain!"

"Long live our Captain Nord!"

The knights exchanged glances, then swarmed around me, trying to hoist me up.

"S-Stop it! P-Put me downnnn!"

I was literally lifted off the ground by the knights.

I must’ve had the blank stare of a Tibetan sand fox as I faced Lotus, who’d been showing up daily.

I kept refusing the position of captain.

As a result, with the captaincy vacant, Lotus’s aides—Gazel and Fulton—became vice-captains and were apparently running the Royal Guard together. The entire order insisted that only I or Lotus could be captain.

Things got wild when my carriage passed by the Royal Guard’s barracks.

[True Royal Guard Captain]

They’d slapped that ridiculous title on me, and ever since it became a total nuisance, I’ve ordered the coachmen to avoid that route.

The fact that such a selfish demand gets honored proves this really is another world…

I’m the one who technically dragged Lotus down from his captaincy, and yet he’s begging me to take him as a disciple—what’s wrong with this guy?

"Didn’t I tell you not to come? You say you want to be my disciple, so why can’t you listen to your master?"

"You haven’t officially taken me as a disciple yet."

Lotus plopped down in front of the estate gate, crossing his arms with a stubborn air, refusing to budge. If he’d sat by the gatepost, he could’ve passed for a tacky ornament, but sitting dead center made him a total obstruction.

"Fine. Starting today, Lotus… you’re my disciple."

"Oh! I’m deeply honored!"

"Then here’s your training: starting tomorrow, don’t come to my estate. Once that’s done, you’re expelled."

"My heartfelt thanks for teaching me this method!"

He bowed deeply and, for today at least, obediently left. But…

The next day:

"I’ve come to apologize for my rudeness and to once again request to be your disciple."

"Showing up at all is rude and absurd. I told you not to come."

"Since you expelled me, I assumed the training was void."

I was fed up with Lotus, who kept coming back undeterred. It was a battle of wills: him desperate to become my disciple, me dead-set against it.

This exchange repeated countless times.

"Please, I beg you to make me your disciple, Lord Nord…"

"I refuse!"

I cut him off before he could finish.

"Then how about my beloved sister Elise as your wife…"

Hold on, hold on, hold on!

A holy knight offering his sister to someone like me—who’s clearly a villain—just to become my disciple? That’s insane!

"To sacrifice your sister for your own ambitions, Lotus… you’re a pretty lowlife brother. But! I don’t want Elise."

I’d gone out of my way to set things up so Kain could win Elise over—I couldn’t bear to let that go to waste.

I firmly rejected Lotus.

With that, not only would Elise never become my partner, but I’d smashed any flags of her getting close to me to bits, leaving me quite satisfied.

"Then rest easy! Had you desired my sister Elise, I’d planned to slit your throat in your sleep."

"Hey… testing someone while claiming to respect them as a master is cheating."

"I had full faith in you, Lord Nord."

Damn it… For a musclehead, he’s annoyingly good at tugging at my heartstrings.

"So, having proven yourself trustworthy, I intend to bring home the news of your engagement to Elise as a gift."

"Don’t bring back anything unnecessary! The only thing you should bring back from an expedition is trash. I can’t let my guard down for a second!"

In looks, they’re like Beauty and the Beast, but as siblings, they’re two peas in a pod—I get it now.

"If you dare send Elise here, know that I’ll absolutely never take you as a disciple."

"That’s unfortunate! If you just saw my sister once, you’d fall for her beauty in an instant."

No matter how gorgeous Elise is, she can’t hold a candle to my adorable sister Marie.

"I know that already. That’s not the point! Listen—don’t ever bring her here, got it? Never!"

That should ensure Lotus won’t bring Elise. Yep, no doubt about it!

While we were making a ruckus in the courtyard, Marie—who’d been clinging to Meina-san as she hung laundry—spotted me and Lotus and ran over.

Pointing at Lotus after one glance, Marie declared.

"Big brother, I wanna keep the bear!"

"Hey, Marie, look closely. He’s not a bear—he’s a human."

"But he’s cute!"

From Marie’s perspective, Lotus squatting like a baby must’ve looked adorable…

"Well, no helping it then. For my beloved sister Marie’s sake, I’ll keep you. Be grateful!"

"My deepest gratitude! Lady Marie, I’m honored by your kindness!"

"Yay! Good bear!"

Seeing Marie’s beaming smile thanks to Lotus—well, I’ll call it a win.

Wait… Why am I keeping Lotus, Elise’s brother, instead of Elise herself?

Eh, no point sweating the small stuff!

In the game, Nord brutally kills Lotus, earning Elise’s deep hatred…

That’s why I didn’t want them anywhere near me.

"Lotus, I’m giving you a mission. Protect Meina and Marie over there—even at the cost of your life!"

"Yes, sir! For my master’s little sister, gladly!"

[Elise’s Perspective]

"Father, Mother, I’ll be off now."

"Elise, take care of yourself."

"You really are such a passionate girl."

"It’s fine—Kain will be coming with me."

I told my parents a little white lie to ease their worries. Truthfully, having Kain along makes me more anxious, but my desire to reunite with my savior outweighed that concern.

At the gates of the estate, my parents saw me off as I boarded the carriage.

"Lady Magdalía, leave it to me—I’ll protect Lady Elise!"

"We’re counting on you, Kain."

"Please do."

Kain thumped his chest confidently in front of my parents, but his outward charm only grated on me…

He tried to climb into the passenger compartment with me, but—

"Sorry, Kain. I’ve decided that only my savior can sit beside me, so please take the coachman’s seat."

"…Yes, Lady Elise…"

Rejected, he climbed into the coachman’s seat with a sulky expression. I’d been heading to the district where the poor lived, offering them healing under the pretense of charity—a ruse to get my parents’ permission to leave the house while I searched for my savior.

"Lady Elise, we’ve arrived."

"While I’m tending to the healing, please search for my savior. I’ll join you once I’m done."

"Understood."

As we reached the outskirts of the capital, the atmosphere of the houses changed drastically. Crumbling walls, roofs with holes… I parked the carriage in the poor district and wandered about, searching for clues about my savior under the guise of offering aid.

"Lady Elise… why don’t we just give up already? There’s no way we’ll find him…"

"No, I’m not giving up yet."

My legs felt like sticks as I tirelessly sought any hint of my savior, while Kain trailed behind, hands clasped behind his back, looking utterly bored.

His attitude irritated me, so I parted ways with him to cool off and moved to another area. While asking around for information on a bustling market street lined with stalls, I overheard something:

—"They say Lord Lotus quit being captain of the knights."

—"Seriously!?"

—"What’s gonna happen to this country now?"

—"Shh, Lady Elise is here."

The moment they spotted me, the street folk clamped their mouths shut, stopping their gossip with awkward smiles… Even here, rumors about my brother Lotus had spread.

I’d been questioning people for a while, but exhaustion started creeping in as I found no leads.

Come to think of it, that rumor from earlier nagged at me…

My parents had been overjoyed when Lotus became the first knight captain from the Magdalía family in ages, yet word on the street was that he’d been neglecting his duties, wandering the city aimlessly and fooling around.

What could’ve happened to my once-serious brother?

No way… Could it be—though it’s hard to believe—that my shy, reserved brother fell for some wicked woman and strayed down a dark path!?

"Eh!?"

On a lively main street, buzzing with people and flanked by countless stalls, I saw something so shocking I nearly collapsed.

"Lord Lotus, I’m terribly sorry for dragging you along on this shopping trip."

"No need to worry. If it’s my master’s command, I’m happy to oblige."

Th-There was my brother—not working, but strolling happily with a beautiful woman and an adorable little girl, chatting and laughing together!

"Brother! To think you’d make a girlfriend and even have a child without consulting me, Father, or Mother—it’s disgraceful!!"

I planted myself in his path, heedless of the onlookers.

"Ellie-chan!? N-No, you’ve got it wrong! I was asked by Lord Nord to guard them…"

"I’m Marie! Nice to meet you, Ellie-neechan!"

An utterly charming little girl, nothing like my brother, greeted me…

"Oh my! What an adorable girl! No, I mustn’t be swayed!"

Before I knew it, I was hugging the girl I assumed was my niece.

"Wait—Brother! I won’t be fooled. You’d better explain yourself properly!"

The four of us ended up at a tavern that served meals for lunch.

The scent of the tea they brought out helped me regain some composure as my brother explained, but…

"What!? You became a disciple of Lord Nord, the son of Duke Villance, and you’ve been escorting his sister, Lady Marie, and their servant Meina-san on their shopping trip?"

"Yes…"

"What Lord Lotus says is true."

"Bear-san isn’t my daddy!"

My misunderstanding hit me like a wave of dizziness, making my head spin with embarrassment.

"B-But the three of you walking together looked like a family…"

All three shook their heads, denying my words. Now that I think about it… Brother did say he’d become Nord’s disciple…

"Then I must pay my respects to this Lord Nord whom my brother serves. Oh, no, it’s not like I’m interested or anything! It’s just that since Brother is in his care, I thought…"

I’d heard the name Nord here and there, but I didn’t know his face. Still, in noble society, it’s customary to at least make an introduction.

But!

I was growing tired of the rigid noble world. What I really wanted was to run off with my savior, retreat to the frontier together, and spend our days wrapped in each other’s arms, expressing our love physically.

The one I adore is my savior… So this Nord, whom my brother admires so much that he became his disciple—if he’s someone who’d interfere with my dream marriage to my savior, I’d need to eliminate him.

That’s a job for Kain, though ♡

As I clenched my fist under the table, out of sight of the others…

"I’d really love for Ellie-chan to meet Lord Nord no matter what…"

My brother shrank his massive frame, looking dejected as he glanced at Meina-san and Lady Marie for support.

"Lady Elise… I’m terribly sorry. For some unknown reason, he’s insisted that he absolutely doesn’t want to meet you…"

"Onii-chan doesn’t wanna meet Ellie-neechan, he said!"

"What!?"

To say he doesn’t want to meet me before we’ve even faced each other—what a rude man!

"What could I have possibly done to Lord Nord? If I’ve wronged him in some way, I must meet him in person to apologize. Brother! Won’t you speak to him on my behalf?"

"Ellie-chan…"

My crestfallen brother looked to Meina-san and Lady Marie for help.

Duke Villance’s Estate

The Villance family, one of the most powerful noble houses in the Kingdom of Ackersen… It’s said that opposing them means you can’t survive in this country, even as a noble.

I couldn’t hide my shock at being invited to their mansion.

When the parlor door opened, revealing the young man inside…

"Ahem, ahem. Y-You… You must be Elise. I-I… I am Nord Villance… Ahem!"

The man who appeared before me wore a mask.

I see! If his looks aren’t great, he might have to hide them with a mask… That would explain why he didn’t want to meet me.

Wait, something’s off. I’d heard from the townsfolk that Nord was—what’s the word?—handsome, a strikingly good-looking man.

Huh!? Now that I think about it… I feel like I’m forgetting something, but I can’t recall it no matter how hard I try. I think I came here with someone, but…

[ENG] Eroge no Hakushaku Reijou Volume 1 Chapter 2

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