I lay motionless on the ground as I watched the clouds roll by above me. The grass fluttered against my skin as a gentle breeze passed by. The tranquility this moment afforded me was one I would remember for the rest of my days. The small, imperceptible, imperfections of life and everything around me was eye opening.
Such as the small rock that landed next to my hand.
It allowed me the mental and emotional epiphanies that I had failed to achieve in my previous life. That evil will only truly harm, if you retaliate in kind. That fame and desires are worthless pursuits. That the Universe itself is Change. That most problems are fabrications of the mind.
Like the other small rock that hit my shoe.
Of not worrying about the past, living in the present, and definitely, absolutely, positively not thinking about the future.
Neverthe future.
A small rock landed on my chest. It was of no consequence. It was only myself, tranquility, and a wide open sky.
No Thoughts
Head Empty
I blinked as a small rock hit me on the head and I finally addressed my tormentor. "Dear sister, please. Humanity's capacity to resolve disputes without resorting to base violence is what separates us from the animals."
"I swear that I will separate your head from your body if you don't get up and help me!" I sighed at the disturbance from my further meditative pursuits.
I would suggest doing as she asks. There is a non-zero probability of Jenna actually being capable of the feat.
I finally got up and gave Control a flat look. They were using a pretty ordinary looking drone this time, a floating sphere like the one I first saw them in. The stealth model was not really needed while I was at home so it was being stored at the Nagare.
Both Jenna and myself were currently tasked to till the soil around one of the family farms. We didn't really need to do this anymore because of the better conditions of our territory. However, Jenna was being punished for getting Miauler–who was forbidden from helping my sister–and I was being punished for metaphorically kicking the policial beehive at the capital.
"I don't care how big your Armor is or that you will outrank me soon! You are still my son and I will discipline you as such!" My father said after the envoys from the Royal Palace left yesterday.
The official end of the engagements for Angie and Clarice apparently happened pretty close together. The Redgrave and Atlee families then raced–raced–to finalize and send a representative to the Bartfort estate in order to formally give an engagement offer each. To me. To marry Angie or Clarice.
I wouldn't say that I fainted after reading the letters that the representatives sent. It was just exhaustion from training with Black Getter.
That was my story and I was sticking to it.
It got even worse when another set of envoys arrived a few days later, this time from the Royal Palace directly.
They found out about the engagement offers from the Redgrave and Atlee houses and decided to try to save face, according to dad at least. In order to make any possible engagement to either family look good, as well as a reward from the crown for honorably chastitizing Julius and his boys, I was to be formally promoted to the Lower Fifth Rank of Viscount. On top of all that, I was to be instated as a fully fledged Independent Knight of the Holfort Kingdom.
I was stricken with another sudden bout of exhaustion. I personally blamed the sudden chill the previous night.
I was to report to the Royal Palace for the award ceremony and knighting by the King in a week's time.
I got back to work next to Jenna while Nicks and Colin stood around nearby. Nicks was there to keep an eye on us and make sure we actually were doing the work ourselves, Colin was there just to spend time with us.
After a while, Jenna took a break and was taking a drink from a canteen that Miauler handed her. "What I don't get is why you're so hung up about this. Doesn't this magically fix your biggest problem at the Academy?"
"Jenna, the proposals were from probably two of the most powerful houses in the country aside from the crown. The women being offered were once the fiancées of the crown prince and the man who is practically his brother. I think Leon is within his right to panic over having to choose between them." Nicks pointed out quite reasonably. See, this was why he's my favorite older sibling!
"Can't he just marry both? Like dad!" Oh, sweet Colin. I turned to my older siblings and frowned when they glanced at each other and narrowed their eyes. I take it back.
"Nicks, Jenna, no!" I firmly stated. That only made them squint harder. "Even one of them is ridiculously far out of my league! Both?! Are you crazy?!"
"But what if you did though? You'd have the support of two great houses. Maybe even reel in the Special Scholarship student as a concubine if you're so fond of her too." Jenna muttered. I could literally hear the gears turning in her head.
Brain! My guy! Seriously! Stop imagining my three friends in bed in nothing but sexy underwear! It's rude! No! I don't want to tell you which colors would suit each of them best!
"Maybe I should keep them all as friends instead? Boys and girls can just be friends you know! Just because they're close with each other doesn't mean they have to be romantically involved!" Both my older siblings looked at me like I was an idiot for even thinking that.
"Spurn the proposals from two great houses and you really will end up being executed, idiot." Jenna pointed out. I grimaced as I couldn't refute her words.
Nicks sighed and nodded in agreement. "As much as I hate to admit it, Jenna is right. You either have to choose one or have both."
Do you perhaps not find either girl attractive? Physically, emotionally or intellectually?
I was about to address Control when I paused in surprise when I saw the drone being hugged by Colin. Control didn't seem to mind the attention at all.
"No, they are very attractive for different reasons." I eventually answered. "I just don't know if I can be that to them this soon, or ever."
Then does the problem stem from your insecurity in being able to make them happy?
"Angie and Clarice went through some really bad emotional stuff, okay? That kind of thing doesn't just go away." I reminded everyone and they seemed to agree with that at least.
"Did someone hurt them?" Colin asked worriedly.
I smiled at my younger brother and patted his head. "Yes Colin. By some people who they loved very much."
"Then why not be their hero and sweep them off their feet." I rubbed my forehead when another female voice spoke from the direction of our estate. "Provide the love and care they so desperately crave so our family can get out of this squalor."
I turned to the direction of the voice and regarded my younger sister, Finley. She was younger than me and would not be attending the Academy for another two years. Her eye color was identical to Jenna's but her hair was a lighter shade of brown and was styled in a medium bob cut that wrapped around her face.
"Trying to sound mature doesn't actually make you so, Finley." I taunted my younger sister like the mature adult that I was.
"You would know, wouldn't you?" I admit that I walked into that one. She then turned to Jenna and spoke. "A letter from your suitor arrived. Mother asked me to let you know."
"Honestly, the persistence of that idiot is astounding." Jenna sounded offended but none of us bought it with how quickly she started walking back to the estate, Miauler following close behind. I hoped that Daniel could handle a girl that was more Tsun than Dere once school started back up.
"How does it feel, eldest brother, to know that both of your younger siblings have effectively already secured spouses? Is it motivating you to try harder?" Finley decided to take a snipe at Nicks before walking away. Sharp tongue, that one.
The eldest brother in question looked between his younger sister and his two brothers. "I swear, that girl acts like Jenna with more spite and a better vocabulary. I guess we can all return home then. Come on you two."
I was walking alongside Colin, Control was still in his possession, when he spoke up. "Hey Leon."
"What's up?" I asked with a smile.
"Do you love those girls?" The smile disappeared at the question.
"I don't know, Colin." And that's what scared me the most.
As ordered, I was back at the Capital after a week. My family came along with me and we all traveled there in the Nagare. Colin in particular was really happy after I let him sit in the Captain's chair of the ship.
My parents and younger siblings were wearing the best formalwear they had, while Nicks and Jenna opted to just show up in their uniforms. I, on the other hand, was handed a brand new set of knightly formalwear. It even had a half cape that hung off one shoulder!
If there was one image that perfectly encapsulated the sheer insanity of the whole event, it was Black Getter's cape sprinkled with flowers and the colorful confetti and streamers that hung from different parts of its body. It stood outside as the Palace Officials insisted on displaying it instead of keeping it in the Nagare for some reason. I only hoped that Control was invisible somewhere and taking pictures, because I wouldn't believe that this actually happened if there wasn't any visual proof.
"It looks so cuuuuute!" Livia's squeal made my family and I turn to see her, Angie, and Clarice walking towards us. Unlike my older sister, all three girls were wearing beautiful dresses that fit them perfectly. Not only that, even their hairstyles changed. Livia's hair was a bit more curly than it normally was, Angie's was worn in a ponytail, and Clarice had her hair flowing like a waterfall down her shoulders.
I would have taken a step back if not for Nicks' body blocking me. "Don't insult them by backing away, Leon."
I gave a small nod at my brother's whisper and gave all three girls a big smile. "You should have seen the looks on the decorators when they were shown what they were going to work on. It's nice to see you three again, you all look beautiful."
"Thanks Leon! Angie picked my dress and Clarice curled my hair." Livia explained as she spun around to show off her new look.
Clarice stepped forward and looked me up and down. "I have to say, you look quite handsome yourself, Leon."
"Indeed, you look every part the dashing knight." Angie agreed with her own smile. I proceeded to introduce the girls to my family formally. All three girls immediately thought that Colin was adorable and the poor boy had no idea what to do with all the female attention he was getting.
"Don't laugh. That'll be you soon enough." My grin froze on my face at Finley's words. When I paid more attention to the scene, I could see both Angie and Clarice stealing glances at me from time to time. "Don't mess this up, big brother."
The ceremony itself was pretty straightforward all in all. There were a bunch of guests from noble houses I'd never heard of while the King sat on his throne with the Queen standing at his side. I didn't even need to say a thing. I just had to take a knee as a man announced my new formal title of Viscount.
The King then stood up and proceeded to award me the title of Independent Knight. I fiercely kept my eyes on the floor as he tapped his sword on my shoulders as part of the ceremony. I was terrified that he might have been mad at me fighting his son.
And just like that, it was over.
After the ceremony, I was escorted to a room within the palace. It was just supposed to be me, so my friends ended up staying with my family until I was done. At least they had Colin to keep them entertained.
The door was opened and I could feel myself sweating loudly. Inside was Vince Rapha Redgrave and a man I was assuming was Bernard Fia Atlee. The two men were sitting side by side on a couch, with another once placed in front of them.
I had never wanted to run away more than I did at that moment.
"Ah! The man of the hour arrives!" The man sitting next to Angie's dad said with a genial smile. "I am Minister Bernard Fia Atlee. I understand that you are already acquainted with Duke Redgrave."
I nodded and greeted both men with a bow before sitting down on the available couch. I didn't dare speak out of turn and waited to be addressed. Eventually, Duke Redgrave spoke up. "Your ship and your Armor are as impressive as what people have told me."
"Indeed! Your Black Getter, as my dear Clarice said its name is, cuts quite the imposing figure. Like a knight from the old legends!" Minister Atlee agreed with a smile and a nod, one that made me nervous because of his next words. "One might even think that it could be powerful enough to challenge even the King."
"I would never do that! My loyalty is to the Holfort Kingdom!" I cried out in reflex.
"No." Duke Redgrave cut through my words. "Your loyalty is to your family. You demonstrated as such when you went to beg for my help."
"Indeed. Such is the quality of a true knight. I'm certain that you would do whatever it took to protect them." Minister Atlee agreed with a pleased expression.
"That was a rather on the nose way to say that you want him to be part of your family, Bernard."
"There are times for oratorical finesse, Vince."
I chose to remain quiet during the byplay between the two very powerful men.
"Have you decided which of our daughters you wish to marry?" The Duke suddenly asked me with the subtlety of a hammer.
The Minister then leaned forward and added, "Or do you want to have both?"
I looked between the two men that could ruin the rest of my life. I then closed my eyes and gave the only answer I could come up with when I thought about the proposals. "I don't know if I should have either of them."
Both men looked at me expectantly when I opened my eyes again. It seemed that they wanted me to elaborate.
"What Angie and Clarice went through with Julius and Jilk. I can't just swoop in and make everything better for them." I said with a shake of my head.
"Yet is that not what you did when you fought his highness and the other heirs?" Duke Redgrave correctly pointed out.
"That was easy. Fighting is easy." At least it was when you had a Getter Robo at your side. "They both need someone who can do more than just punch their problems away."
"That your worry about the engagements stem from concern for our daughters' hearts, rather than how they can improve your standing in court speaks well of you." Minister Atlee finally said with a gentle smile.
"Indeed. I am starting to understand why Angie seems so fond of you." Duke Redgrave agreed as he stared into my eyes while stroking his manly beard.
The two men then began whispering to each other and kind of maybe arguing about something? I couldn't hear anything from where I was.
"We can afford to wait for an answer from you until Clarice's graduation to decide. Choose one or marry both." Duke Redgrave said, giving me an ultimate time limit.
Minister Atlee then stood up and spoke. "Though we both agree that the latter would be the ideal outcome."
Why were the two of them so onboard about the possibility of me marrying both their daughters?
To my shock, both men actually shook my hand and congratulated me on my new titles. I was about to excuse myself when Minister Atlee spoke once again.
"Oh, one more thing. We would like to ask a favor from you as there is still time before summer break ends."
I was in Black Getter's cockpit as I watched my family, in addition to Livia, Angie, and Clarice board the Nagare.
Servants from both houses had already been sent ahead beforehand. It was a planned arrangement that the Duke and Minister arranged with my father before the award ceremony. The three girls were going to spend the last week of the break at our estate.
It seemed that they also already knew about it as the three of them had already changed out of their dresses and into travelling clothes when I met back up with everyone.
Livia was pretty excited about the whole thing while the other two were looking at me with pleased smiles.
Like the brave man that I was, I opted to fly home alongside the Nagare instead of riding inside and having to interact with the three girls. I ignored the disappointed looks from my parents when they saw me do that.
I hope you understand that this is an issue you cannot run from. The girls themselves also deserve better.
"I just need time, Control." I said, gripping the controls tighter. I felt Black Getter shake a bit. Turbulence, I told myself.
To seriously consider the situation and your feelings or to waste by ignoring it?
I couldn't give an answer.