"Why, why are you silent?"
"Hmm."
"Say something, anything!"
I had been staring blankly at the newspaper, unable to comprehend the unexpected hero treatment, but I quickly snapped out of it when I heard Cecil's anxious voice from the front.
"Setting aside the fact that you've suddenly become a hero, what exactly is your relationship with Lady Meredia?"
"…."
"Why would a lowly count family like ours be involved in a marriage discussion with such an incredible house?"
She was staring intently at me, her usual manner of speaking now much more precise and deliberate.
"No matter how I think about it, it's just too strange…."
"…Is that so?"
"Hik."
But as soon as I responded in a low voice, she flinched and began to stammer.
"W-what exactly are you plotting…?"
Eventually, she lowered her gaze and trailed off.
'My little sister is great, but this is something she needs to fix.'
Now that I think about it, Cecil has always tended to stutter whenever she speaks with me.
Since she speaks just fine with her friends and the servants, it seems she only does this with people she finds awkward or difficult to deal with—like me.
Of course, a minor flaw like that isn't enough to diminish her many talents, but noble society thrives on picking apart weaknesses.
Naturally, if anyone were to mock my sister for such a trivial matter, I wouldn't forgive them as her guardian.
However, I can't always be there to protect her.
That's why I need to help her overcome this on her own.
"…Cecil."
"...!"
"I've told you this over and over again."
Pushing aside my concerns about the article for now, I gently placed my hands on her shoulders and spoke in the softest voice I could manage.
"If you don't want to be looked down upon, speak properly."
"I-I got it…."
"Alright then, try saying it again."
She trembled slightly for a moment, then took a deep breath.
Though her voice was still weak, she managed to finish her sentence properly.
"…W-what exactly are you plotting?"
"See? You can do it if you try."
As expected, my sister is someone who gets things done when she puts her mind to it.
If she continues practicing like this, she'll surely become a great family head and restore our house's prestige in the future.
"Good job, my little sister."
"Ugh."
"But there's no need to use honorifics with me. It makes me a little sad…."
"J-just answer my question."
Feeling proud of her, I gently ruffled her hair.
But when Cecil clenched her fists and demanded an answer, I smiled and finally spoke.
"This is all for you and our family."
"…What?"
Until just moments ago, I'd been vaguely anxious about my sudden rise to fame across the empire.
Of course, my shock at the completely unexpected situation was greater, but having my existence exposed to the world did increase the potential risks.
"The engagement with Lady Meredia is real. We finalized the details a few days ago."
"T-then that means…."
"Yes, it means I'm finally going to start moving in earnest."
Since things had already come this far, it was better to take full advantage of the situation rather than be controlled by whoever revealed my name.
Right now, I'm managing to hold my ground thanks to the engagement with Meredia, but no one knows what the future holds.
To prepare for any possibility, I need to start making my mark on the world.
"And for that, I'm willing to do whatever it takes."
With that firm resolution in mind, I revealed my plans to Cecil with a serious expression.
"...."
As expected, she swallowed dryly, her face a mix of worry and fear.
Honestly, my sister is just too kind for her own good.
"Of course, there's no need to worry."
Feeling a sense of warmth inside, I patted her shoulder and smiled brightly.
"You just have to sit back and watch your big brother shine."
"…Let me ask you one thing."
She bit her lip, staring at me for a long moment before speaking in a quiet voice.
"You had nothing to do with the disappearance of the Crown Prince's fiancée, right?"
At that sharp question, my smiling expression momentarily froze.
"…Brother?"
"Ah, of course not. Why would I do something like that for someone else's benefit…"
Seeing Cecil's wavering eyes as she called my name, I quickly regained my composure and answered as naturally as possible.
– Thud!
Right at that moment, a suspicious sound rumbled from the wardrobe in the room.
"W-what was that just now?"
"Hmm?"
"Didn't you hear something from the wardrobe?"
Cecil, startled by the eerily perfect timing, looked at me with a puzzled expression.
"I have no idea what you're talking about."
"Brother, don't tell me…."
"Anyway, isn't it about time for breakfast? Why don't we eat together for once—"
Avoiding her gaze, I tried to usher her out of the room before she could dwell on it further.
– Thud! Thud!
This time, two even clearer sounds echoed from within the wardrobe.
"Eek!"
"Oh dear."
With the swift movements befitting the youngest Silver-ranked knight trainee, Cecil beat me to the wardrobe.
Her expression tense, she cautiously reached out her hand.
– Creeeak…
However, before she could touch it, the wardrobe door slowly opened on its own.
"…Excuse me."
To my immense relief, the one who appeared inside, panting and disheveled, was none other than Runiel.
"R-Runiel."
Just as I was about to sigh in relief that the worst-case scenario hadn't occurred, I noticed Cecil frozen in place, hand still outstretched toward the wardrobe.
She stared at Runiel in shock as the knight calmly closed the wardrobe door again.
Come to think of it, Cecil admired Runiel a great deal as a knight.
From what Alfred told me, when Runiel was working as a maid in the estate a few days ago, Cecil had taken great care of her.
Honestly, I wouldn't be surprised if she liked Runiel more than me.
"Commander Runiel!"
Feeling momentarily sulky at that thought, I watched as Cecil ran toward Runiel, her eyes brimming with tears.
"You must not address me that way. I now belong to Sir Whitney…"
"Don't say that! Weren't you the one who said that knights should be judged by their skills, not their ranks? A-and do you know how much you've helped me…?"
Come to think of it, Silver-ranked knight trainees often led lower-ranked knights.
So, was Cecil serving under Runiel as her captain? No wonder she treated her so well—it was more than just admiration.
"But, why were you inside the wardrobe?"
"That is…"
"Now that I think about it, this is my brother's room. Why…?"
Just as my sullen expression began to ease, Cecil's eyes suddenly narrowed.
"Ah."
Her gaze flickered between Runiel's disheveled hair and clothes, the awkwardly rearranged blanket where Hestia had been lying until just moments ago, and then finally settled on me.
"...Trash."
She shot me a look of pure contempt before spitting out her icy condemnation in the coldest voice imaginable.
"Die."
"Cecil? This is a misunderstanding…"
"Die. Die. Die."
In an instant, I had become nothing more than a depraved villain in her mind.
I broke into a cold sweat, desperately trying to explain myself.
"You seem to have misunderstood something. Sir Whitney and I were merely engaging in standard training here."
"T-training? What kind of training could you possibly do in a bedroom…?"
"…And besides, I was the one who asked for it, so you don't need to worry."
Runiel, who had been quietly observing, suddenly made the worst possible attempt at clearing up the misunderstanding.
"Y-you asked for it?"
"That's right."
"W-why?"
Unaware of the chaos she was causing, Runiel assumed her explanation had worked.
With a perfectly serious expression, she drove the final nail into the coffin of Cecil's misunderstanding.
"Following the orders of a superior being is a fundamental instinct of all living creatures."
"..."
"You may not understand it yet, Cecil, but when you grow up, you will naturally come to realize it."
As Runiel finished her words with a gentle smile, Cecil's once-burning eyes gradually dulled and died.
No, this is really a misunderstanding.
But trying to deny it now might make it even worse.
"I've decided."
While I was frantically searching for a way to salvage the situation, a determined voice rang in my ears.
"I'm going to become the family head, no matter what."
I didn't know what exactly had changed in her mind, but Cecil's previously lifeless eyes were now burning with determination.
"I will defeat you and become the family head. And then, I will save the captain…!"
"Haha, Cecil…."
Despite the circumstances, I couldn't help but smile from ear to ear.
"You want to become the family head?"
This was the first time my sister had ever declared such an ambition.
"Alright, give it your best shot."
I had refrained from bringing it up before, worried she might be resistant to the idea.
But hearing it from her own mouth like this was beyond my expectations.
I was so moved that I nearly teared up, but I held my emotions in check and cheered her on.
"If you think you can, that is."
For Cecil's sake, I was willing to bear this false reputation.
Sure, my image might take a hit, but I could clear things up later.
"You're talking big now, but just wait and see."
Imagining a future where Cecil stood as the family head, I was lost in thought when she suddenly clenched her lips, glared up at me, and stormed toward the door.
"When I win the next Imperial Rising Star Tournament, that smug smile of yours will disappear!"
Wait—what? That's not good!
If Meredia was right and the tournament was going to be held again soon, that meant a whole mountain of elite playable characters would be participating.
Even for Cecil, that would be—
– Bang!
My worried expression deepened as I snapped back to reality at the loud slam of the door.
Cecil declaring her participation in the tournament was a concern, but right now, I had more immediate problems.
"Hah."
Letting out a quiet sigh, I turned toward the wardrobe, where the ominous sound had come from earlier.
"This is driving me insane."
I opened the wardrobe door—the same one Runiel had hastily shut—and pressed my fingers to my throbbing forehead.
"…I'm sorry. I was forced to act quickly when she regained consciousness inside the wardrobe…."
"Mmph! Mmph!"
The Imperial Crown Prince's missing fiancée.
The future Saintess.
A crucial figure whose cooperation was essential for the peace and stability of the world—
And there she was, bound with a blanket and gagged with a pillowcase inside my wardrobe.
"Mmph…."
Her muffled groan stopped as soon as she saw us.
Her face was filled with undeniable terror.
"Well, at least your sister didn't find out, so that's a relief."
"A relief… is that really the word for this?"
How the hell was I supposed to fix this?
***
Meanwhile, at that very moment— in the courtyard of the Lingard Count's estate.
"That… that must've been a dream, right?"
Sasha, who had stopped by the wake at dawn and witnessed something utterly shocking, had been unable to sleep all night.
Now, with dark circles under her eyes, she listlessly swept the courtyard.
"H-honestly, no matter how bold the young master is, he wouldn't actually do something like that…."
She tried her best to block out the chatter of the servants, who had been buzzing about the Crown Prince's missing fiancée since early morning.
– Clop. Clop. Clop.
Just then, a cloud of dust rose in the distance, accompanied by the sound of galloping hooves.
"Huh? Who would be coming this early…?"
"There it is."
"H-hiiik!"
As knights in gleaming armor appeared at the estate's entrance, Sasha's hands trembled, and she dropped her broom.
"You there."
Her pitiful, trembling form must have stood out.
The man leading the knights noticed her and gestured.
"Where is Sir Whitney?"
"I-I don't know anything! Please spare me!"
"?"
"….?"
The knight tilted his head at her bizarre response, then cleared his throat and spoke again.
"No need to be alarmed. We're not here with bad news."
"R-really?"
She cautiously opened one eye and asked in a timid voice.
"I am merely here to deliver a message from His Majesty the Emperor."
"Hiieeek!"
As soon as she heard the word "Emperor," Sasha's tiny heart couldn't take it.
Letting out a deflated gasp, she squeezed her eyes shut once again.