The immediate aftermath of the botched takeover of my territory by Zola and my half-siblings was rife with irony.
The first irony was actually surprisingly mundane. After all the crazy nonsense that I had been dealing with, being locked in my manor's office and doing paperwork was actually pretty relaxing and therapeutic. Coming from a former overworked Japanese office worker, that was damn weird.
Another set of ironies was that the destruction of so much of the main island's infrastructure actually gave us the excuse to start extensive renovations on pretty much everything.
The additional support from the Waynes, Redgraves, Atlees, and my own family made starting up construction pretty easy. All this needed labor resulted in a sudden influx of new jobs for both the people who were already living on the island and the people from the smaller islands in my territory. In fact, all the paperwork I was doing was to approve and facilitate all the additional growth my lands were suddenly experiencing.
The next set of ironies that I found was that the soldiers that Zola brought weren't even professional soldiers. They were known as the Dragon's Claw Mercenary Group, though they were nothing more than pirates that didn't actually do any piracy.
According to Gabriel, they were pretty cheap to hire relative to other merc groups and were competent enough to hold land and defend it during peacetime. The Crown even used to hire them for monster extermination jobs a few years ago. It also seemed that the mercs were outfitted with equipment that was way above their pay grade, probably bankrolled by Zola, but their lack of training and cohesion were what did them in.
As promised, the army took custody of my half-siblings, with Julius and the boys hitching a ride back to the Capital with them to visit their families. They left their Armors in the Nagare for pickup at a later date. Hopefully, Mylene would be able to nab Zola and figure out what the old bat was thinking and where exactly she got those monster spawners.
The boys also very reluctantly left the baby god tree on the Nagare, understanding that it was the safest place for it. Control was monitoring it at all times and had drones taking care of its needs. It was actually pretty surreal how the five of them assured it that they would return soon and that it should behave while with 'Uncle Leon'. Serge and Marie got a big laugh out of their behavior while Noelle and Louise just looked at them in complete bewilderment.
Clara was back with the Waynes and was working with her family to manage the repairs and renovations while mom went back home. Whatever she talked to Marie about apparently went super well. She said that she was very excited to see dad again as soon as possible. I desperately tried not to think about the very familiar expression on her face as she said that.
"Big Brother, it's lunch time." Marie said after poking her head into my office. With everyone else gone, it was mainly me, Marie, Livia, and our guests staying in the manor.
Livia immediately had me help her test the durability of the furniture in the Master Bedroom after we got everyone settled in. The morning after got pretty awkward when Serge solemnly requested that he and the other guests be moved to bedrooms on a different floor of the manor, as far away from the Master Bedroom as possible. Neither Noelle nor Louise could look Livia in the eye for the rest of that day. I mentally made a note to have that room renovated for soundproofing once classes started up again.
"Is it?" I asked, rubbing my eyes while Marie fully entered my office and closed the door behind her. "Thanks for telling me."
"I wasn't expecting you to turn into a workaholic." My sister idly commented, eyeing the stacks of paperwork on my desk.
"It's pretty zen when you get into the flow of it. Are the others already waiting?" I explained with a shrug. Marie nodded at my question but quickly looked uncertain about something.
"Listen, did something happen between Serge and Louise?" I blinked. The Rault siblings?
"Hm? What do you mean?" I asked for clarification while organizing the paperwork that was already finished.
"He's been way nicer to her than I remember and she's been clinging to him a lot for the past few days whenever we go outside. It's gotten to the point where she looks like she wants to throw Noelle out a window whenever she asks Serge to go do stuff with her." Marie stated worriedly. Really? I didn't really notice any real difference in their behavior. Then again, I really only interacted with them during meals lately. I then clapped when I remembered my talk with Serge on the Nagare's bridge.
"Well, I did give Serge some advice to genuinely apologize to Louise for what he did when they were kids." I told her with a big smile. If they were already that close, then it meant that his apology probably went well.
Good for them!
"Leon." In stark contrast to my own feelings, Marie gave me a look like I did something stupid. The fact that she used my name instead of calling me Big Brother immediately made me nervous.
"What?" That seemed to be the wrong thing to say as Marie started rubbing her forehead.
"You just opened up the Villainess Route for Serge like you did for yourself with Angelica." She slowly said. Opened up the Route? Wait a minute, that would mean that-
"Serge and Louise?! But they're brother and sister!" I quickly exclaimed. My protests just made Marie shake her head.
"Heaven help me." She muttered while looking up to the ceiling. She then looked back at me irritably. "Thanks for making my job in Alzer even more complicated."
"How was I supposed to know?!" I complained and my sister just snorted at me.
"Both of us were Japanese. This world is based on an Otome game series made by lunatics. Do you really think that non-blood related sibling romance would be off the table?" There was something else with the way she spoke her point, but all I could really think about was something Control told me a long time ago.
"This isn't anime, though!" This place was real. People don't operate by the rules of stupid wish fulfillment and-
"Leon, you're dating the ghost of the Kingdom's Saintess who is sharing the body of one of your other lovers by way of a magic necklace and bracelet. You have a Super Robot from the far distant past that just dumps on anything else here. You have a harem." Marie mercilessly shut down my train of thought with hard facts. She then pointed to herself in exasperation. "I have a harem!"
I looked away and started muttering. "Well, when you get down to it, it's more like I'm part of Livia's harem more than anything."
"You're also banging the Queen, who is arguably the most desired woman in the Kingdom." I grimaced as Marie slowly drawled out her killing blow. Honestly, there was only one thing I could say to all that.
"Shit." Marie rolled her eyes at my reaction.
"I can't wait for their dad to find out that Serge is being fought over by his adopted sister and a daughter of the Lespinasse house. I hope his stash of booze is extensive." My existential crisis over realizing that my life really had become a Power Fantasy Harem Anime came to a screeching halt with those words.
"I thought Serge and Noelle were just friends." I dumbly said and Marie looked like she was ready to start throwing furniture at me regardless of her actual physical strength.
"Don't fucking start, Leon. He's literally one of her potential capture targets from the game in the first place." She ground out and harrumphed at me. "Is this what your women had to deal with all this time?"
"Sorry!" What the hell crawled up her butt?! She was being a lot more angry. Was it because Julius and the boys weren't here?
"Let's just go downstairs so you can see it yourself." Marie finally said and I just quietly followed her to the dining room so I didn't end up setting her off again.
"Oh good, I thought you were chained in that office of yours." Serge joked from his seat at the table. With the additional context that my sister gave me, I was starting to see where she was coming from.
"Good day to you, Viscount Bartfort." Louise greeted me with a smile from her seat at Serge's left.
"Hi Leon! We didn't see you at breakfast." Noelle happily greeted me from her seat at Serge's right.
I realized that I wasn't returning their greeting when Marie bumped her shoulder into mine. I perked up and smiled at them as we made our way to the tale. "Yeah, there's been a lot of paperwork. Sorry if I haven't been a good host so far."
Louise waved off my concern with the poise that was expected of a girl in her social standing. "Don't worry, Viscount. Marie and Olivia have been lovely in your stead."
"Where is Livia anyway?" I asked, looking around for my lover.
"She went to another room with Control. She's probably talking to your other women." Marie pointed out while taking her seat at the table. As Lord, I had to sit at the head of the table. I didn't realize how hungry I was until Yumeria and the other servants brought in our meals. A few minutes after we started eating, Livia finally showed up with Control.
"Where have you two been?" I asked after she kissed me and took a seat at the table, Control choosing to idly float around.
"Remember that Deirdre's birthday is coming up?" I nodded, Nicks was actually worrying a lot about it last I checked. "I was talking to Angie and we're planning on having a girl's day out in the Capital on her birthday."
"Huh, I'm sure she'd actually love that." Livia nodded enthusiastically at what I said.
"Right? This would also be a good opportunity to show Noelle and Louise around as well!" The two girls in question looked startled at their inclusion.
"Umm…isn't this a celebration with your friends? Seems kind of awkward for outsiders like us to be there too." Noelle pointed out, with Louise very reluctantly nodding in agreement.
"Then it would be a good chance for you two to become friends with everyone then!" Livia told them, her enthusiasm seemed to be the deciding factor of her argument.
"If you are sure, then I would love to be a part of the celebration." Louise finally said, with Noelle also nodding soon after.
"It'll be me, Deirdre, her sister, Angie, Clarice, Hertrude, Marie, Clara, and you two!" Wow, that was a lot of friends with them.
"Wait! Why am I included?!" Marie squawked out.
"Because you're included!" Livia told her with a big smile. One that said that Marie didn't really have a choice in the matter.
"Fine!" My sister acquiesced.
"That's actually a good idea. It'll give me time to wrangle up Nicks and get her present over to their family estate." I told them before turning to Serge, who was looking pretty amused about the discussion.
"What about you, Serge?" He blinked at me and shrugged.
"The boys have a surprise for me that day too apparently. So I guess I'll be hanging out with them." Well, I guess that covered everyone then.
…
Deirdre's birthday finally arrived so Control and I dropped off the girls and Serge at the Capital before quickly making our way to my family's estate. There, I bore witness to something I would never forget for the rest of my life.
"Yeah, laugh it up." Nicks grumbled as I obliged and laughed harder at his pure white tuxedo.
"It's her birthday, Nicks. Not her wedding." I told him after I finally settled down. Mom then came downstairs and handed Nicks a big bouquet of roses. The flowers probably had some sort of preservation magic on them or something with the way they were sparkling a bit.
"Now you make sure that you make my future daughter-in-law very happy today." Mom joyfully instructed Nicks and even he couldn't bear to refute her.
"Yes, mother." I smiled at the exchange and looked around.
"Where's dad?" Mom giggled and pointed upstairs.
"Oh, he had a late night and is still sleeping." Colin chose this moment to appear and give me a big hug. I laughed and swung him around a bit. He then said something I wasn't expecting at all.
"I'm going to be a big brother!" I blinked at his excited words and looked at mom. She just smiled at me and I immediately knew what it meant. Huh, so five kids wasn't enough for them?
Well, it wasn't like they couldn't support another child.
Finley also finally made herself known as she walked up to Nicks. "Please make sure not to mess this up. It would be a waste of everyone's efforts."
"Why are you talking like you had any contribution to any of this?" Nicks sniped at her but Finley just ignored him in favor of approaching me instead. Ice cold, that one.
"Please find time to bring my future sisters-in-law here for tea. I miss conversing with them." That was a surprisingly normal request from Finley. I didn't really have any reason to refuse and the girls would probably enjoy spending time here again anyway.
"Oh sure. I'll let them know." That left one last person in the family. "Speaking of sisters, where's Jenna? With Daniel again?"
"They're staying at the Capital and won't be back for another week!" Mom excitedly informed me. Nice to know that things were still going well between the two of them. I guess that they wanted to spend as much time together as they could since Jenna was graduating this year.
We said our goodbyes and I promised Colin that I would visit again before the summer break was over. Once we were back onboard the Nagare, I turned to my big brother with a wide smile.
"I don't like how you're looking at me right now, Leon." He flatly stated while adjusting his grip on the bouquet.
"So, Control and I have this idea that will probably make Deirdre super happy." I immediately told him while rubbing my hands in anticipation.
"I don't like the way you are saying those words either. Stop doing that with your hands." I did not stop. Control then imposed themself in front of Nicks.
We have something to show you. Please follow me. Bring the bouquet.
"Why does that sound like a threat?" Nicks whispered to me.
"Only if you don't follow instructions." I whispered back and we both quickly walked to catch up to the drone. As I expected the destination was the hangar where the Getter Robos and the Armors were located. I really wished that I had a camera when I saw Nicks's jaw agape when he saw Roze Getter and we explained who exactly it was for.
Rest assured that you merely need to stay seated in the cockpit. I shall handle the actual maneuvering of Roze Getter.
"And why do I need to do this again?" He nervously asked us. I gave him two thumbs up before actually answering.
"It'll be a big surprise that Deirdre's going to love!" Nicks looked conflicted but eventually sighed and nodded his consent.
"Fine. Do I go in now?" He asked, looking back up at the red Getter Robo.
We are almost at the ideal deployment range for the plan. I would advise that you board immediately.
"It'll be fine." I assured him with a pat on the back.
"Leon, your definition of fine has been irreparably skewed in this past year." He pointed out. I then patted him a bit harder for that quip.
I guarantee your safety so long as you follow instructions.
"He'll actually be fine, right? He's not wearing a pilot suit." I asked Control as Nicks gingerly entered Roze Getter's cockpit, trying not to trip or hit anything with the bouquet.
Neither were you when you first started piloting. Your brother will be fine.
I chuckled at how invested Control was for our little stunt. "You've really gotten into the spirit of doing dramatic entrances, huh?"
I have come to understand why the various Getter Teams enjoy performing them so much.
…
"Welcome to the Roseblade estate, Leon and Control!" Deirdre joyfully greeted the two of us as she gave me a hug and patted Control's drone. "The others are already inside and are relaxing."
"I take it you girls had fun." I inferred by the big smile on her face.
"Quite so. Louise and Noelle are delightful new friends, though it seems that they have a brewing rivalry if how they speak about this Serge is anything to go by." Jeez, even Deirdre could already tell? Was I really that blind when it came to how girls give hints on their interest or was it a guy thing in general? "Quite exciting!"
I nodded along and gestured to the door we just entered from. "Well, if you're not too tired, Control and I actually have a surprise for you outside."
"Oh? Lead on then!" She looked like she would be happy with anything at this point. Though, she did lean closer to me with a question. "May I ask if you know if Nicks will be stopping by as well?"
"That's actually part of the surprise. Ready, Control?"
We are go, Leon.
I grinned at Deirdre and pointed up. She seemed confused but looked up anyway, her eyes squinting as she noticed what was coming down from the sky. Those same eyes snapped wide open as she let out a gasp. I looked past her and noticed that Livia and the other girls were coming outside to see what was going on.
"Leon, what is that?" Deirdre whispered in complete disbelief.
I didn't answer her yet and let the Getter Robo land on the ground. Its arms were crossed while Control manipulated its Getter Wing so it would look like it was fluttering dramatically in the wind. The popped collar of the cape added to the impressive image. I turned to Control and gestured for them to make the introduction.
Deirdre Fou Roseblade. We are happy to present to you the first Getter Robo that has been built in the past seventy-two thousand years. Its base design is that of Black Getter F's, though reasonable design changes were made in consideration for its intended pilot.
Deirdre looked down at the two of us, tears in her eyes, as I pointed right at her. "I did say that having you as just my backup is a waste."
Its designation is Roze Getter and is for your personal use. Happy Birthday, Deirdre.
"Happy Birthday!" I yelled out while spreading my arms wide.
"Whaaaaaaaaaah!" Deirdre immediately launched herself into my arms and hugged me. "You are the best brother-in-law ever! Thank you so much, Leon! Thank you so much, Control!"
I laughed but patted her to let me go. "But wait! There's more!"
"Huh?" She tilted her head, then looked up as Roze Getter started moving. One of its hands moved to its head as the mask opened up to reveal the person riding inside. "Nicks?"
"Happy Birthday, Deirdre." He said, face completely red when he realized that there was also an audience present.
"Best brother-in-law ever." Deirdre whispered to me before running to Nicks and knocking him to the ground with a jumping embrace. The other girls finally approached once the excitement died down.
"So that's what you've been keeping secret." Angie said after giving me a kiss. I just grinned at her before Clarice turned my head so she could get her own kiss.
"Do you mean that Deirdre will be the pilot? A woman?" Louise asked in surprise while Noelle just looked between me, Angie, Livia, and Clarice in utter shock.
I nodded to her while jerking my thumb in Deirdre's direction. "I say with full security in my own skill that Deirdre's a better pilot than I am."
"So you are the Doom Knight I keep hearing about." An older girl approached me and offered a handshake. I took it as she introduced herself. "Dorothea Fou Roseblade, I too am aiming to become your older brother's wife."
Ah, was that the situation then? Oh dear. "I'm surprised you let her call me brother-in-law so openly then."
"My love for my sister will always be greater than any jealousy I might feel right now. Besides, it's her birthday." She said while looking fondly at Deirdre embracing the bouquet of roses that Nicks handed to her. The other girls looked on in good cheer, even Marie.
"So, will we be bringing Deirdre into the fold in regards to the truth and the future? She will be fighting at your side eventually." Angie whispered to me after pulling me a distance away from everyone else. That was a good point.
"Well, not today at least." I told her as Livia ran up to Deirdre, probably about to gush over her new Getter Robo.