I Was Reincarnated As The Older Brother Of A Villainess Destined to Die, So I Want To Change The Future By Raising My Younger Sister With My Own Hands. I Am The Strongest In The World, But My Little Sister Must Be The Cutest In The World - Volume 3 Chapter 3.2

Villainess’ Brother

Minerva’s Ninth Rite is only three days away, and I spent my time at Lollamvel Castle. It seems that nothing happened despite my preparedness, thanks to Minerva. As she declared, she stayed by my side for everything except bathing, using the toilet, and sleeping. Even when she was just a little farther away, she would get angry and say, “Don’t wander off on your own!”

According to Shion, the people of Lollamvel perceive Minerva’s actions as “sacrificing herself to thoroughly monitor the colorless one.” Indeed, if her emotions were unreadable, it might appear as if she is restraining me reluctantly. Minerva is skilled at maintaining appearances, after all.

Her true intention, as I suspected when I entered the castle, is to protect me. Reports came in from subordinates who temporarily acted separately, stating that they pitied the fact that their superior is a colorless person. It’s almost certain.

By the way, the subordinate who reported shed tears of blood, saying that they couldn’t stand the urge to slaughter the other person. Loyalty is appreciated, but that reaction is terrifying.

Thanks to the efforts of my fiancée, I was able to safely participate in her Ninth Rite. She is an excellent girl, being a duke’s daughter and having the highest aptitude for magic, as well as displaying remarkable talent in other fields. The party was far grander than mine or Orca’s.

First, the scale was enormous. Despite the party venue being as large as three Tokyo Domes, it was filled with an equally impressive number of attendees.

Secondly, the quality was exceptional. The furnishings, such as the tables and tableware lining the venue, were top-notch and rare even in the Holy Kingdom. The food and drink served to the attendees were also of the highest caliber. Even in Foranada, you wouldn’t find such things. They are probably the kind of offerings provided to state guests.

There were also orchestras and singing groups, as well as countless other planned activities. It was truly a party where the Duke’s family went all out.

Of course, Minerva couldn’t be by my side throughout the entire party. It would draw too much attention for the colorless me to be in the center, so she discreetly stationed herself in a corner of the venue, keeping her presence hidden. Even without using magic, it was a piece of cake to deceive the noble attendees’ eyes.

Without receiving any particular harassment, I silently waited for the party to progress.

Around the time various activities settled down, the Duke of Lollamvel raised his voice.

“I would like to express my sincere gratitude to all of you for gathering here to celebrate my daughter Minerva’s Ninth Rite. I believe she is truly blessed to be celebrated by everyone.”

Starting with the obligatory customary phrases, the Duke expressed his gratitude related to this Ninth Rite. His dignified behavior attracted the attention of everyone in the venue.

It’s about to begin.

Observing the situation from the periphery, I sensed that my turn would come soon. Therefore, I silently approached Minerva, who was in the center, while keeping my presence hidden.

According to our prior discussion, it had been decided to announce our engagement once the festivities were over.

Originally, the Lollamvel servants were supposed to call me, but it seems they couldn’t find me because I had concealed my presence. I had intended to be easily found by the Foranada group but apparently miscalculated. I should make it up to the person who was supposed to call me later. It would be no joke if they got fired because of this incident.

Around the Duke, there was a bit of commotion as they couldn’t find me. Feeling apologetic, I quietly approached one of the servants and spoke up.

“I apologize for being late.”

“Ah, Zex-sama! We’ve been waiting for you.”

For a moment, the servant seemed on the verge of mentioning “colorless,” but managed to correct themselves. I don’t particularly mind, but slipping up after being caught off guard might be considered a failure for someone serving the Duke’s family. It was me who set it up, so I can’t really complain.

Following his guidance, I stood by Minerva’s side.

It seems like we were really cutting it close. As soon as I arrived, the Duke declared, “He is my daughter’s fiancé.”

Instantly, the attention of everyone in the venue focused on us. With monitoring devices deployed through magical tools, even the attendees seated far away seemed to be peeking. Since I had been acting behind the scenes until now, this kind of situation was somewhat unfamiliar. It wasn’t nervousness, but I felt a bit restless.

On the contrary, Minerva seemed accustomed to such situations. Her posture was dignified, and she had the composure to glance at me and murmur, “Straighten up,” as if she had room to spare.

Observing her current stance, I finally realized that she was indeed the princess of the Duke’s family. In my mind, Minerva had been firmly entrenched as a super tsundere genius. Either that or the position of a best friend in a game. Either way, it wouldn’t be suitable as the gaze directed towards an engaged young lady. I should reflect on that.

I replied, murmuring that I’m fine, and smiled to reassure her.

Perhaps her response was unexpected, as Minerva widened her eyes and turned her head slightly away. She seemed embarrassed. How adorable.

Now then, I diverted my attention from my fiancée and considered whether it was time to face reality.

I shifted my focus away from Minerva.

The atmosphere around the two of us, excluding the Duke, was icy. They seemed to have enough restraint not to make a scene in front of the Duke himself, but their gazes spoke volumes. They were saying, “Isn’t this defective piece our fiancé? What a fool.” It was a reasonable reaction, considering they were trying to pair a black-haired genius with a white-haired incompetent. In the context of this world’s values, it was only natural.

At the same time, I felt the piercing gazes of anger and jealousy directed at me. Most likely, they assumed that I had ingratiated myself with the Duke to secure the engagement.

With talent, social standing, and good looks all in place, it was expected that there would be many who desired Minerva. However, it was truly impressive to witness it firsthand. She seemed to be even more popular than I had anticipated.

Given this situation, there might be some people who would act recklessly… However, the Duke had assured me that he would handle them, so I could relax. If they were fools who would run amok even when faced with the Duke’s banner, Foranada could easily take care of them.

“Minerva and Lord Zex’s engagement is now official. Everyone, let’s offer our congratulations!”

While observing the surroundings, it seems that the Duke had finished speaking. The sound of applause could be heard from the attendees. The emotions leaking out felt reluctantly given, but their expressions remained unmoved. That’s the mark of nobility.

Since I visited the Duke’s family, I have come to appreciate the benefits of mental magic. Those who stand in noble society are all poker-faced, so the ability to sense emotions is quite useful.

After our engagement announcement concluded, the party resumed. This time, I would be by Minerva’s side.

Many nobles gathered around us. About eighty percent of them offered their congratulations, speaking words of celebration with a smile and subtly promoting their own names in the process.

This is more for Minerva’s sake than for “us.” They have already given up on overturning the Duke’s decision on the engagement and are now trying to establish connections with Minerva, hoping to leverage her power in the future. Alternatively, they may be considering that the engagement with a colorless like me will eventually be broken off.

They’re clearly looking down on me, but considering the common sense of the world, their reaction is only natural. As long as they don’t openly insult me, they’re showing enough awareness of their position.

The remaining nine percent seemed to be more focused on me than on Minerva. Similar to the previous eighty percent, they offered their congratulations and then directed the conversation around topics related to me.

Perhaps they thought that a Duke known as the “Mad Mage” would not simply play an important card like his daughter’s future on a mere colorless. It seems they came to probe what I have to offer.

These people are skilled at grasping subtleties. There may come a time when they could be useful, so I should remember their names, at least.

And finally, the remaining one percent. These individuals were beyond understanding. I couldn’t help but wonder why they were invited to the Duke’s party.