Save 24 - Faction

What is love?

It is hormones that make humans feel physically or sexually attracted to other humans, and thus achieve the process called "love".

No matter how much you think about it, it sounds very stupid both hormonally and in reality.

What's so great about falling in love? How do you know your partner feels the same way you do and doesn't want to take advantage of you? Who's to say it's not just one facet of the many facets of being human?

If you ask me, it's pathetic to fall in love... yes, it certainly is.

...

I feel like I've strayed from the original topic I was addressing.

You're right!

I'm on to something more important.

"Rudel-san, we're ready."

A voice called out to me.

I was sitting waiting for the people I arrived at this place, a costume store, with.

I, Rudel van Bradford, am the third son of a house of barons. Due to certain reasons I have a new life.

That's right, I said new life since I am reincarnated.

I died tragically in my past life and now, I woke up in a strange fantasy world.

There are many things I miss from my previous life.

But honestly, I don't regret it.

I sound like a liar to say that considering I left my video games, movies, unclaimed paid-for items and mainly my collection of magazines not suitable for minors.

Every once in a while it pains me to remember what I lost. Fortunately, I found something much better and more important.

My best friends, Alisa and Airi.

Two girls I met in this world with whom I spent funny, sad, hurtful and embarrassing moments that I would never change.

The third semester had begun, soon I would finish the first year of the academy. Which means I will have survived the first part of annoying school life.

Back to where I was.

We were the three of us in a costume store, due to soon come a celebration similar to the one in my previous life. Which coincidentally have the same name, including the month of October we were in.

In the store they had various costumes and uniforms from sailors to dominatrix.

We went in because Airi wanted to try some on. Alisa and I agreed as now the three of us were wondering where we wanted to go.

Since it was the weekend, we decided to spend the weekend in the capital city browsing through stores.

Part of me was embarrassed when I had to dress up as a dog.

But it was there, where something woke up inside me when I saw Airi dressed as a cute little black cat, next to Alisa who dressed as a little brown-eared dog.

To make it even louder. They both started making animal sounds as they raised their hands.

I don't know what came over me, but a strange feeling emerged inside me. I wanted, no, more like I wanted to possess them both.

I don't understand what that was.

I hope it wasn't something bad.

After doing many changes of clothes is just now where my mental ramblings began.

I changed before they did, I am a butler.

I'm sorry I'm not the kind of handsome, polite butler you were expecting. It's not my fault that my face is scary, my iris and pupil are the same color making my eyes have a black spot that looks like a void. Shadows on my face as if I've had a bad night.

But what do you think? I'm happy, even so.

After much waiting, they finally came out.

I was amazed at the wonders I saw.

I expected both of them dressed as normal maids, but instead they betrayed my expectations for something much better.

They came out together wearing an outfit of what you would expect from a maid cafe.

The skirt was short to the thighs. At the back of the waist they had a huge white bow that matched the uniform. A Katiuska band tied in her hair. A red ribbon around her neck.

They both laughed as they showed me what they looked like.

They were also talking to each other... only there was something weird there.

"Alisa, the way you talk and behave is like that of a real maid!"

"That's because I spent a season serving the queen, as the only female of the three great lords, I was prepared to become queen in case I had to become engaged to Her Highness Liam or there was no one qualified to ascend the throne."

"It must have been very hard."

"It was, thanks to Her Majesty the Queen. She never gave me a break, never even allowed me to sleep unless I accomplished what she tasked me with in the day."

Alisa giggled playfully, it was here that again I began to see that strange thing.

"I was very rebellious as a child. But thanks to Rudel I feel like that little girl is still awake."

"I would have liked to have seen a rebellious little Alisa. You certainly must have been a cutie."

Airi without warning or signal. She walked up to Alisa hugging her around the waist.

Alisa in response to that also hugged her. Then to make it weirder they said things to each other that didn't seem to coordinate with what was going on.

"I'm not kidding! I really would have liked to have seen Alisa as a little girl. I'm sure you had to eat a lot of delicious desserts."

"True, but it wasn't rewarding to eat a lot of sweets. As you can tell, it seems like everything I ate was stored in my chest. And it's very annoying to have to check that they don't grow any more."

"That's not true! Alisa looks beautiful, radiant, with a figure and body that anyone would envy. I wish I was as thin as you."

Alisa hugged Airi tightly bringing their faces closer, their noses touching.

"But I like Airi with flesh like you. A I would like slender legs with meaty thighs like yours. Even your chest is at a size I wouldn't mind having."

Airi, hearing that puffed out her cheeks like a balloon.

"Geez~, Alisa you're so cruel!"

"Hehe, sorry, but I couldn't help it. Teasing you turns out very adorable with you."

"Silly."

The girls were laughing at each other, the store owner was looking at them with a red face as if she was seeing something she shouldn't.

While I was wondering this.

(What the hell am I looking at!!!?!?!?)

(I know that since we made peace, our relationship has improved and theirs much more being girls).

...

(But someone explain to me what I'm seeing in front of me!!!!)

(Girls are different from men in the way they open up in front of others? but what the hell am I looking at?!?!?)

(It's almost as if a door to the occult has been awakened and they're coming out of it!)

(The most frightening thing is that when I see them.... for some mysterious reason there is a pink heart-shaped aura about them!!! is that just me seeing that?)

My head will hurt if I try to analyze what my eyes see. I'd better concentrate on the clothes.

"You two look great. If I were an evil nobleman, I would definitely want maidservants like that, hahaha."

To take away the weird pink atmosphere, I made a joke. It didn't work.

Please laugh.

◇

We bought some clothes before leaving the store. Then we went for pecan ice cream, girls love ice cream. And, again I saw that weird aura between them as they were feeding each other with each other's spoon. Am I the only one who sees that giant heart forming around their heads?

◇

Alisa ran off.

It was because another group of stalkers, aka entourage, aka fake friends wanted to earn her forgiveness.

We were walking in the direction of the academy. Even on a Sunday like today you should wear a school uniform, it's because you don't normally see teenagers on the streets and it would be very rare to see it.

Alisa, said goodbye to us as she ran off at high speed. As she ran I noticed her beautiful red eyes that were distressed at the sight of the stalkers, her bright golden blonde hair as golden as the sun that had a braid behind her ears forming a bow. Her hair was very long, but having that hairstyle really shrunk leaving only a small ponytail that swayed along with her white skirt in unison.

I got a laugh out of the Olympian way she ran off leaving a trail of dust.

The stalkers chased after her begging for forgiveness.

While me and Airi waved her goodbye.

I turned my face to see the smiling Airi still waving goodbye to the athletic Alisa.

Her light blonde hair swayed in the wind showing how wonderful her bob style cut was. Her eyes blue as the surface of the sea looked up at me to ask "is something wrong?" To which I replied nothing.

What was that feeling just now?

Could it be concern towards Alisa, I don't think so, she is the daughter of a duke. Only an idiot would dare touch her.

It must be my imagination.

◇

"Our country is facing an unprecedented crisis!"

At the entrance of the academy, there was a crowd of students gathered near a boy standing on some boxes.

"I'm certain you've all heard the news of insurrections and uprisings by various commoners on the borders of the kingdom."

I stood listening to what this guy in the white uniform was saying.

The voices of the students were also loud so I could hear what they were saying.

"That's not Margrave Raleigh's son, is it?"

"I think so... if I remember correctly, in his territory the commoners set fire to the officials' houses and even attacked the margrave and his wife in broad daylight."

"In my brother's territory there were also uprisings, they had to kill all the commoners who rose up as their behavior was very hostile."

The conversation wasn't sitting well with me anymore, Airi was next to me hearing that.

With my hand free from the shopping bags, I took her hand and we quickly entered the academy. The student's voice sounded louder with each step we went deeper.

"The situation looks very troubling, but there is nothing to fear as we have a hero in our midst!!! His Highness, Crown Prince Liam, the Silver Phoenix!"

(Liam, what the hell have you been doing since we got back?)

◇◇◇

"Silver Phoenix, is that what they call me?"

Liam was at a party at the Royal Palace. There were many people gathered; from ministers, important aristocrats backing his ascension to the throne, and knights so important they could be considered generals.

Two boys were next to him. All three were very radiant with elegance.

The tallest and most muscular of them, red-haired with black roots, was eating a chicken wing with his mouth open. He was Chlust van Arses, heir son of an earl, a frontier earl in other words.

To his right was a handsome young man with green hair tied into a bun at the back. His eyes were the same color as his hair. He was Frey von Nightray, son of a margrave and he was telling the boy in front of him his situation.

"You see, Your Highness, thanks to your heroic deed you accomplished a few days ago you were hailed as a hero. And, because of Bradford you lost your title as crown prince. But thanks to luck, you defeated that man and were recognized as a special being. Like a phoenix, you rose heroically from the ashes to be called that."

Frey was proudly telling Liam, the reason for his title.

The boy with the boyish face, platinum hair with purple eyes was sad for a few moments. That was because he didn't do anything that was said. But it didn't bother him for a reason.

This boy, Liam von Altfode, was a special being. He was the most unique person in this world, which was not a simple fantasy world as Rudel mentioned. This was a world based on an RPG theme and Liam, was the protagonist.

Every protagonist needs a co-protagonist. A person to save him from tense moments and help in his development. That person was a girl, one who would be his wife and future queen of this country. An existence known as the "Saint" would become.

"May I have your undivided attention please!"

And that girl...

"It is my pleasure to inform you that the Saint..."

She was not the one who introduced herself.

"Erselica van Reinfield-sama, has arrived!!!"

When a guard checked the corridor, he quickly called out to all present.

Opening the door, a girl dressed in white, with crystal accessories on various sections of her body and a large white cane in her right hand. She was walking toward the entrance.

Behind her were two girls who were part of the Saint's temple who acted as her escort.

Erselica- the Saint Erselica entered the room. The voices of the people could be heard at the top of their lungs.

Out of all those guests, three shouted her name in amazement.

They were three bright colors that approached her.

The first to speak was red, followed by green and finally platinum.

"You look super radiant, more than the roast chicken on the table!"

"Shut up you talking ape, your words are poison to the human ear! Don't listen to him, what is true is that you look very beautiful."

"Erselica-san, I'm glad to see your business is over. This party is for you."

"T-thank you."

With her small voice, she thanked the three of them, but her expression was a bit awkward due to the three of them not giving her space.

Voices from the guests were talking about what they saw just now.

"The crown prince took her hand..."

"That means the two of them..."

"Considering their roles, this would be most favorable for the kingdom."

Liam had taken Erselica's hand without her noticing, behind him were the other two who had a look of envy and discomfort on their faces.

In the game, this happened, but the jealous look on those two's faces was not something that was part of their setup.

Suddenly, someone approached them.

It was a man in minister's robes. He had a toucan beak for a nose, dead, bulging fish eyes, brown hair with wavy eyebrows, a mustache that looked like a toothbrush, and thick, barracuda-like lips.

He who held two positions at court; one was minister of the interior and the other of foreign relations.

His name was, Marquis Moldred von Balzac, someone who in a single generation and with several years working, managed to become a marquis.

"Good morning, Your Highness and Saint. I'm sorry to interrupt your conversation, but I have something to discuss with the lady."

Liam knew the marquis since as a child he always saw him arriving at meetings with various documents in hand. When the marquis noticed the prince's presence, he would give him a friendly smile despite his scarecrow face.

He had no uncles, but he considered him one. Not even when he met the three great lords; not even Duke Belmont, not even Klein's father his best friend and childhood friend, let alone Alisa's father. Coincidentally only he spoke to him without honorifics treating him like a small adult, to Liam he seemed the most terrifying of all.

"Marquis Balzac, what business do you have with Erselica-san?" Liam said, asking a normal question with no hidden intentions, just an ordinary question.

Erselica looked at Liam and replied "Your Highness, it's just an unimportant matter for you, but personally for me it is."

She answered him in a serious and firm manner as she grabbed his hand.

"That's not true! Erselica-san's problems are my problems! Since Erselica-san is me...!"

He noticed that Erselica-san's face was red.

He was also embarrassed, he let go of her hands and lowering his head in a minimally sharp voice told her "Erselica-san is an important friend to me, I wish to help her in any way I can."

He felt embarrassed saying that, it was because his heart was beating like crazy. He didn't know why, he just felt that seeing, hearing and talking to the girl in front of him was the happiness he had never known. This was also part of the game, so mistakenly going along with the "plot".

Erselica smiled at Liam, then told the Marquis she was fine and they left the room together.

Liam looked a little sad at Erselica as she walked away, the other two also made sad faces.

Far in the back of the room, near a pillar stood two people staring at the marquis walking out with Erselica.

One was an old man who helped a certain boy by escaping death, and next to him was an older woman who was looking grimly at the scene from earlier.

"Liam, please don't tell me what I think it is..." Said the woman who cared like a mother, for she was one.

◇

I was lost.

Ixion, a super tech from ancient humanity which I found. He notified me that Alisa had arrived, told Airi and she ran off to find her. I was in the bathroom giving birth to a very stinky brown baby so I couldn't join her.

After cleaning up where the baby came out and giving it a proper burial, but not before washing myself, I ran out as well.

A light blue-haired boy with glasses was reading a bulletin board. I inadvertently overheard what he said as I rushed past him.

"Open enrollment for foreign students, come study for a year at the Supreme Kingdom of Aster, huh?"

I had only one thing to say about that, but I didn't have time for it.

I'll ignore it.

◇◇◇

In an elegant room in the palace stood two people. They were Erselica on the left and on the right the Marquis Balzac.

They were both serious.

"Well?" said Erselica without her smile with a serious face.

"What?" The Marquis answered her making the same expression.

"Don't play the fool Lord Balzac, how is the matter going with them, the Kingsfort family."

"...I spoke with the duke and he said that, thanks to you, the legal problems your family has thanks to your son are being abolished."

Erselica hearing that, smiled and took a sip of the tea on the front table.

The marquis continued speaking.

"I was very surprised when you arrived with the Supreme Pontiff out of the blue and he told me that the Saint wished to speak with me."

"I was very skeptical at first. But when you cut your finger and healed it with that light, I could see it was all true."

(Actually, it was just water magic boosted to the max, because of the intensity of the light in the room is that it seemed to glow...no need for them to know about a white lie).

After finishing her cup, Erselica poured herself another. There was no servant as it was a private conversation.

Before taking another sip, she remembered something.

"Silly me, I forgot, the countermeasures against them how are they going?"

The marquis gave a terrifying smile upon hearing that.

"You're definitely not a pure girl, are you?"

"Please stop this nonsense. This is for the sake of the kingdom and the Royal Family."

(That's right, we're only a few weeks away from that event where Rudel will betray the kingdom and the despicable Bismarck Household, taking revenge for their bitch daughter's end, decides to betray the kingdom and attack the country along with the republic).

(Fortunately, the combined fleet of the other two dukes managed to put an end to those traitors once and for all).

Staring at the marquis, she continued to be deep in thought.

(Although it looks strange, Marquis Balzac is a reliable man who managed to get to the post of prime minister due to the other's incompetence).

According to the game, the current prime minister died due to old age. There was no more reliable or prepared person than Marquis Balzac.

There was also a lot of talk about Duke Belmont, but he never appeared in the game. He always lent his fleet but his presence never appeared in the story, nor in the character guide.

On the other hand, Duke Kingsfort managed to turn his land into a real principality.

With a look of joy from the marquis to Erselica, he too had his own thoughts.

(Thanks to her I will be able to get rid of that Ritzburg nuisance, the irritable Siegwald and...)

His thoughts stopped because of a person which made him make a crescent.

(That Bradford boy, his Lost Item is very dangerous, before that fat-breasted Dixit tries to have it for himself, I must move my chips).

"Excuse me, my Saint." With a pleasant tone he called out to her.

"What is it?"

"It's something I'd like to confirm."

"Say it."

"You are affiliated with the temple thanks to the religion of our beautiful country, I imagine that in politics you won't have a sponsor anymore, will you?"

Without a second's hesitation, she replied "I was going to ask him sooner or later, since I wish you to become the new prime minister, unlike that old geezer who is good for nothing."

The marquis heard that and was stunned with his mouth open, no doubt this is something I never expect.

"I-I appreciate your wonderful words. Don't worry, no doubt that old man, the Bismarcks and that brat Bradford will be destroyed before the academy is over."

"No."

"I beg your pardon?" He was stunned at her sudden response, but the next thing she said, made him smile.

"Before December, those three.... well, Bismarck and Bradford are priority. Not the geezer, those two must be destroyed before December without fail."

The marquis stood up and then knelt down.

"Your words are my orders, my Saint."

Seeing that, Erselica thought one thing.

(That's right, this is the best thing to fix things. Very soon everything will get better and the flow of normalcy will follow.)

◇◇◇

In a field on the border, several men were working.

One of them was plowing field, he was wiping his sweat with a dirty rag.

The tools, work uniforms and a construction unit. All of that was paid for by a nobleman to improve the quality of life for the commoners.

They were grateful to have such a kind lord.

(Today will be as productive as yesterday!) thought the man as he gripped a scythe tightly to cut the undergrowth.

Suddenly, he heard something next door.

"Renor, what's wrong with you?" He asked his companion who out of nowhere dropped his shovel.

He approached his friend and before touching his shoulder....

"It's all your fault!!!"

A terrifying scream rang out.

His friend for no reason screamed, grabbed the shovel that was on the ground and swung it to attack the man.

He used the oz to defend himself.

"What the hell is wrong with you!" Worried even in that situation, the man was defending himself. It was there that he heard more terrifying noises.

"If only you didn't exist!"

"Why am I doing this?"

"I don't want to, but there's no choice!"

The other fellows who were cultivating out of nowhere proceeded to attack others for no reason.

The construction unit was walking up to a man and stepped on him repeatedly.

The scythe man kicked his friend and then ran out of there.

(What's going on?)

As he ran from the field into town. He observed that the same thing was also happening.

For no reason, calm people he knew were setting houses on fire, attacking others and more scary things.

It didn't matter the age, gender or status. They were attacking several people who were defending themselves.

The man arrived home, went to pick up his family.

"Wyatt! Martha! Are you all right?"

The man upon entering noticed that the lights were out.

Sunlight was streaming in through the windows.

Near a table were two people. They appeared to have been eating only now they were standing.

The man called out to both of them as he cried with happiness to see that his family was okay.

Then, for no reason. Terrified voices of a woman and a child rang out.

"If only you didn't exist!!!"

"It's all your fault!!!"

As they both turned, two things were reflected by the light; one of them was a large knife in each hand and the other was....

"If only Rudel didn't exist, I wouldn't have to kill my husband!!!"

A strange insect-like creature that was on their heads piercing their necks with its tails.

The two were approaching the man who was crying.

The knives were raised and then....

"If Rudel didn't exist, my family would live in peace!!!"

A sea of flames covered the settlement of that village. Other villages were going through similar things, then it was the "commoners" to attack the residential areas where the officials and the feudal lord lived.

This act continues and the only reason the neighboring nobles can think of is that it is an uprising towards the inhumane treatment suffered by the commoners.