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 3.3
And finally, the remaining one percent. They were utterly hopeless. I couldn’t help but wonder why these individuals were even invited to the Duke’s party.
The reason being…
“I refuse to acknowledge this engagement! I won’t acknowledge it!”
“That’s right. The suitable fiancé for Lady Minerva is Lord Carver.”
“Exactly!”
They were idiotic noble sons who would shout and create a ruckus like this. It was so exasperating that I couldn’t even find words to describe it. What on earth were these pathetic individuals?
To make matters worse, these people seemed to hold high positions, and no one around was trying to intervene. The Duke, who could have been the only one capable of calming them down, happened to be absent at that moment. They probably targeted this opportunity to interrupt us.
Anyway, I tried to open my mouth to calm these idiots down, but,
“If–“
“Silence! Don’t let us hear the voice of someone insignificant. It makes my ears rot.”
“Don’t you dare speak a word!”
“Exactly!”
No, that’s impossible. What nonsense are they spouting? I’ve heard insults about being insignificant before, but this is the first time I’ve heard something like this.
I tried to say a word, but they just kept shouting and making a racket. Don’t they notice that everyone around is getting annoyed?
Well, I guess I have to try a different approach.
“What about them?”
“They are from a branch family, though their title is still Earl. They are my cousins. I don’t want to acknowledge them.”
I asked in a low voice to reveal their status, and Minerva replied with a weary expression.
I can sense it from her attitude. Are they always like this? She’s usually so sharp, but it seems like she’s dealing with quite a troublesome bunch.
“Every time we meet, it’s the same. ‘I’m the only one worthy of you!’ they say. Although they have exceptional aptitude for four types of magic, personally and for our family, they are not suitable at all.”
From what I can see, the boy called Carver possesses four attributes other than light and water. He’s slightly inferior to Minerva with her black hair, but he’s certainly outstanding. He must have been praised more than those around him. However, with this kind of personality, there’s no hope for him.
“Don’t their parents intervene?”
It’s common for someone to intervene when such foolishness is directed towards the main family’s daughter. But since no one is stopping them at the moment, the answer was already clear.
“The head of the branch family, my father’s brother, is ambitious. He still holds a grudge for not being able to inherit the dukedom.”
“In other words, he’s using his son to try and take over the family. And what about the Duke?”
“He doesn’t care. He seems completely uninterested.”
“That’s… “
The nickname of “Magic Fanatic” seems to be well-deserved. They probably don’t even consider the head of the branch family, who has low magic aptitude, as an enemy. In fact, it seems like the ambitious ones are resorting to using their son as the only means. It appears that all other options have been sealed off.
I realize once again. Being targeted by such dedicated magic fanatics, even if the true goal is Charon, makes me a rather peculiar existence. I thought I was prepared, but I have to be careful with my actions.
“Hey, what are you whispering about?”
“You dare to engage in secret conversations in front of Lord Carver!”
“Exactly!”
Secret conversations, huh? It doesn’t mean that… Well, there could have been a better way to put it. Look, Miss Minerva over there is blushing bright red.
“That’s enough. I’ll put an end to this.”
Blushing with embarrassment, Minerva stands up, emitting a dangerous surge of magical power.
This is bad; she intends to forcefully remove them.
She might be able to control the power well, but if she uses magic in a party where other nobles gather, it will escalate into a major problem. Despite being invited to the Ninth Order’s party, the intimate relationship doesn’t guarantee that they won’t scrutinize the situation and say, “Our family member is in danger.”
That’s why I stood up as well. Combining the constant activation of [Body Enhancement] and the footwork I learned from my mentor, Akatsuki, I smoothly step forward in front of Minerva.
“Huh?”
Minerva let out a bewildered voice. From her perspective, my movement must have seemed like instant teleportation.
Anyway,
“Please tell me their family name.”
I whispered the question.
“It’s Hoa…”
“Thank you.”
“Wha!?”
Minerva, in her confusion, answered honestly.
I winked at her with gratitude, causing her face to turn even redder. Well, it’s adorable. I thought it was a bit cheesy, but it seems there’s no problem.
“What’s this? Is a lowly person like you defying me?”
“Know your place!”
“Exactly!”
The branch family members raised their spirits in response to my appearance. They sure have the confidence to match. They should have witnessed my previous movement, but it seems like they’re surprised.
While feeling exasperated, I smiled at them.
Carver and the others looked at me warily. Rest assured, I won’t make any exaggerated gestures in front of the public like this.
I moved in the same way as before, appearing in front of Carver. I adjusted my movements subtly so that only those nearby could perceive the abnormality.
Carver, who was about to let out a surprised voice, but I preemptively tapped his shoulder. Then, I whispered in a voice that only he could hear.
“—–“
“You…!?”
“—–“
“What… Tch!”
His face alternated between red and blue, and he clicked his tongue before turning on his heels. He didn’t bother to hide his displeasure and walked away into the crowd.
“What… What’s wrong, Lord Carver!?”
“Exactly!?”
The sycophants were taken aback by his sudden behavior, but apparently, they didn’t have the courage to stand alone in front of us and hurriedly followed after Carver.
“Phew.”
That boy, Carver, belongs to the category of fools with a bit of intelligence. Otherwise, I would have had no choice but to resort to force.
I let out a relieved breath that the situation was resolved without any bloodshed, and then I heard a voice from behind.
“What did you do?”
It was Minerva, looking disgruntled. Well, considering that I managed to dismiss those persistent guys with a single word, it’s an understandable reaction. If you look around, even the nobles who were watching the situation unfold are in a state of confusion.
I shrugged my shoulders.
“I didn’t do anything special. He just happened to be understanding.”
“Oh, really. Well, fine. I’ll ask again later.”
Oh, it seems like she doesn’t believe my words. …Well, maybe this reaction is too deliberate.
That being said, I didn’t really do anything unusual. For the past few years, vegetables from the Foranada territory have been circulating in the Hoa territory, so I just threatened to put a stop to it. I did use some mental magic to make him believe I was serious, but this is a technique that anyone could have used, not just me.
“For someone without an attribute, you seem competent. I thought you were just a smooth-talking man… I’ll give you some credit. However, as the man who will become my partner, I expect you to be able to do more than this.”
Minerva snorted and turned her face away.
She’s speaking from a high and mighty standpoint, but it seems she’s grateful. Her cheeks are slightly red, and the emotions transmitted through her magic power also seem to be happy.
She’s still as stubborn as ever. She had a stubborn side even in the game, but it’s even worse now. Perhaps it’s because I don’t have any colors? At the core, she’s a good person, so I don’t have any complaints, but still…
After a while, the Duke returned to the venue, and thereafter, no problems arose. Minerva’s Ninth Rite came to a close.