What is youth?
There is a very philosophical answer for that, but I won't say it because its answer bores me.
For me, it would be having to suffer again in the worst stage of my new life.
Yes, new life. Because I, Rudel van Bradford, am someone who died tragically and my soul is now reincarnated into the body of a poor noble known as a country baron in another world.
A strange fantasy world with swords and magic. Everything seems very nice, but the reality is that living here sucks.
There are wars and crime every day somewhere, nobles and aristocrats abuse their power against commoners, and mainly young women are little manipulators who are only interested in living off men. What a disgusting world this is.
The place I'm in now is the Royal Academy of the Kingdom of Altfode, in one of the rooms used for meetings, I was suffering.
"P-please wait... give me a little more t-time..."
"Rudel-san, please give up, there's nothing you can do now."
A person made a malicious smile.
"She's right, your end has come. Time to pay!"
"Noooo!"
"Take this!"
Something descended onto the table and it was...
"Royal flush! I win! Again!"
...A playing card.
"Noooo, damn it, why do I keep losing to you!"
The person I was saying this to was a girl from the aristocracy. Her uniform was pure white with a red ribbon at the neck of her shirt, her hair was golden blonde with a short style reaching her neck, with a ponytail behind and a braid covering her head from behind her ears, her eyes were red like a rabbit's. Her name was Alicelotte von Bismarck.
She laughed like a sadistic queen at my pitiful self.
"Ohohoho, Rudel, you will never be able to defeat me, even if you cheat you will never be able to do it, ohoho."
The girl next to her defended me.
"Alisa, please don't be cruel to Rudel-san, he's really crying. And you, Rudel-san, why do you challenge her knowing she's better than you? This is the ninth time in a row she's beaten you, you must have lost a lot of money already, right?"
Like me, she wore a black uniform, the difference is that both of them wore a ribbon and I wore a tie, but the color was the same. Her hair was light blonde with a bob cut style, on the right side of her hair she wore a purple ribbon, her eyes were a deep blue that hypnotized you just by looking at them. Unlike us, she was a commoner, her name is Irisdina.
These girls and I were from totally different social worlds. But thanks to some events we became friends, we even call each other by short names to symbolize our friendship.
The kind and charming girl. Airi.
The strong and proud girl. Alisa.
Both were my friends and we had a lot of fun during the summer vacation of the previous semester.
Before the new semester started, I got into a fight with someone I shouldn't have and was rewarded for it, becoming a low-ranking knight.
What bizarre holidays those were.
While crying, I found an opportunity.
(Now!!)
I was really crying lying on the table, but that was partly a ruse for my true plan. And that was, to observe the growth of these two.
I clearly spoke about their breasts.
(Airi is still the same, they don't seem to have grown. Meanwhile, Alisa's are three cup sizes bigger and I can't tell if they're really growing or not!)
My thoughts were sometimes obscene about these two, I even regret having had moments of happiness thinking about them, several nights while they were sleeping in my mansion.
It seems Alisa finished apologizing to Airi, so it's time to recover.
She approached me and put her hand on my shoulder.
"Sorry, Rudel, I know you're terrible at cards, but you still dared to challenge me and I couldn't resist making you cry."
"Hey, those words hurt more because they're sincere!!"
I lifted my face and told her that, but it still hurt so I started crying for real again.
Both of them comforted me after that.
◇
I recovered after a while and we returned to talking normally, we talked about silly things while drinking tea.
The room we're in is a small lounge I used to use for my social meetings where no one came or they destroyed it if they did. But now I don't care because I enjoy the company of these two.
Airi spoke to me seeing me very quiet.
"Rudel-san, you've been very quiet lately, is something wrong?"
Her concern makes my heart overflow with happiness, I responded with a smile.
"I'm fine, I was just wondering if it was okay to have such quiet days like this."
Alisa made an honest comment about my answer.
"Certainly. It seems like a lie, the peace and quiet around after what happened last semester, but it's also thanks to that I can spend my time with you both."
She made a smile just as charming as Airi's after finishing her sentence, both Airi and I nodded mutually.
My life was very happy now, there were annoyances, but nothing strange. With the exception of...
"I wonder, what is that strange sound at intervals?"
They looked at each other face to face at my question, but it was Airi who answered me.
"Rudel-san... don't tell me you forgot what day it is tomorrow..."
I let out a "Huh?" at her worried response.
Alisa with a displeased face answered me.
"Rudel... you really are a disgrace to this school, you know? How could you forget that tomorrow is the school festival for the academy's founding?"
"Founding? School festival? I didn't know anything about that!"
Both made the same distressed face at me.
Alisa resumed her words.
"Every second semester for three days a festival is held to celebrate the founding of the academy. They told us not only at the inauguration, but also at the welcome to the new semester. What kind of student doesn't know that!"
"I-I'm sorry for not knowing, but I didn't care about that..."
Alisa proceeded to stand up and pinch my cheeks hard.
I apologized while Airi tried to stop an annoyed Alisa. Even without counting my sore cheeks, my days at the academy were calm and I wished they would never end.
◇
In one of the adjacent rooms, there was someone listening to the conversations of Rudel and the girls, that person had made a hole in the wall and with a glass of water reproduced the sound vibrations from the other side with their hand on the glass. That person was Erselica van Reinfield. Like Rudel, she was also a reincarnated person, but she was just one more person in that world.
That world Rudel said was just a fantasy and magic world wasn't wrong, but he didn't know that world was actually that of an RPG game. Erselica had a vein on her forehead which swelled upon hearing three happy people who should never have gotten together.
Starting with the last person who spoke, Alisa. She was a minor villain, her role in the story was to be an abuser who spoke denigrating things about the heroine, making the protagonist appear to save her and give Alisa her due, thus ending her role.
The other girl who laughed thanks to Alisa was Airi. She was the main heroine of the game, she was an existence that suffered abuse and harassment from nobles. Until one day she met the protagonist, Prince Liam, and her life changed to the point of becoming queen and his wife.
Erselica's face had more and more veins from the silly friendly-toned conversations between the three, but she felt a deep hatred towards one of them. The only male in the room, Rudel.
"That boy is supposed to be just a despicable villain, he should have lost to the prince and then maybe died, but seeing that didn't happen, this just means we're heading to the other ending of the game."
"In the fight between Rudel and Liam in the game, if you didn't meet some requirements, Rudel died, but in the end the prince's remorse would have led him to get rid of the throne after a few years. In contrast, if Rudel survived, it meant the direction of the game would go to the true final route. The largest war the world has ever seen."
In other words, a world war.
Erselica was scared, seeing that not only did the direction of the story seem to indicate heading that way thanks to Rudel not dying. To scare her more, Rudel was rewarded and the prince disinherited from the crown until further notice.
She thought Rudel might be like her, a transmigrator, because he avoided his end and also has two girls fooled who should never have gotten along.
Because, if he weren't a reincarnated person, he would have no reason or knowledge to have altered the story to such a point that it seems very annoying to fix.
Therefore, through gritted teeth and very annoyed, Erselica said.
"I didn't want to do this, but there's no alternative. I'm going to have to meddle in your life, you filthy bastard, I won't allow you to keep altering the history as you please."
◇
The school festival for the academy's founding had started some time ago, in fact, today was already the last day, I had spent it well with my friends those two days. The first day was only paying our respects to the founders of the kingdom and the academy, from then on it was all fun for me.
Every food stall and other shops were assaulted by my wallet, I left the shops almost empty as my appetite grew enormously after the vacation. The girls gave me confused and embarrassed looks, sorry, but I'm very hungry.
After trying our aim at a magical weapons stall, I ended up crying. It's because Airi and Alisa had so much magical power they made holes in the tent, but I couldn't release even one.
We sat in a café with attractive servant-boys that some aristocratic girls opened, I didn't want to be surrounded by fake people, but my mood was at rock bottom.
Airi encouraged me after seeing me down.
"Ru-Rudel-san, please don't be discouraged, even if your magical power is very small you're still someone great inside!"
That sounded a bit strange to me, her intentions were pure, but my sadness only made me think bad things even more.
Alisa backed her up after drinking tea.
"She's right, your armed unit, Battler, and even your aircraft, Brunhilde, move without prana. You explained they don't use magical power, but even so possessing and moving two large objects on your own would leave anyone scared thinking what kind of monster you are to achieve that."
I lifted my head from the table to speak to them looking at their faces.
"Th-that may be true, but it's still a bit humiliating that my magical power is minuscule compared to yours."
My face was no longer on the table, but my discouragement was still at rock bottom.
I heard footsteps behind me, a servant in a man's suit called me.
"I apologize for interrupting your chat, Lady Bismarck, but there is a person requesting to speak with Baron Bradford."
I turned my head towards the servant while repeating the same thing she did, but she didn't even turn to look at me or respond to me, what a bitch.
Instead, Alisa asked her my same question and she did respond to her, this bitch.
"May I know who is requesting to see him?"
"I'm sorry, but the person in question told me not to say anything as they would cause a scene later."
Alisa without blinking responded to her.
"I understand. Rudel, make sure to behave properly, remember I'm still your patron and you my squire. You'll make me look bad if you do something improper."
Looking at me intensely while saying that made me uncomfortable as I stood up.
"Y-yeah I know, I won't do anything strange so relax. Hey you, show me the way."
Since she didn't look at me even once, I spoke to her in the same disrespectful way, she without even turning to look at me did a half-turn and didn't say a word.
It annoyed me more than I thought. I turned to look at them and said goodbye in a cool way, they laughed a bit strangely.
◇
The bitch servant told me to walk far and the last door on the left to knock and ask if their meeting with another person was over, she left leaving me after indicating that, she had a badge with her name.
"Don't worry, Jannethe-chan, I'll make sure your salary gets docked by the end of the month."
After my perverse declaration, I walked to where she told me and saw the damn door. I didn't knock as the doorknob was opening and I stepped aside standing correctly, but upon seeing who it was, my composure fell apart while my face made an unpleasant grimace at the person in front of me.
That person was...
"Huh? What are you doing here?"
...Prince Liam.
Upon leaving the room he closed the door, his ears heard my words and he turned to look at me.
Unlike me who made a disgusted face, this guy only made an expression of fury.
It bothered me to see this guy. With his pure white uniform, his strange platinum hair, his weird purple eyes, and finally his stupid little-boy face. No, his face wasn't the problem, his personality of a children's program justice-fighter was.
I was disgusted looking at him, but he noticed that and spoke to me.
"May I know what business you have here, villain. I mean, low-ranking knight Bradford?"
(Hey, I noticed how you emphasized that last part.)
(But I also dislike seeing you so we're even, though you're an idiot unlike me.)
In a polite manner I responded, sounding like a responsible adult.
"I was called here by the person inside in question."
Liam with his stupid face opened his eyes.
His stupid mouth let out words just as stupid as his personality.
"I see, so that person wants to talk to you too..."
(I don't know who that person is, give me a clue, you damn animal.)
His eyes looked at me after thinking insults for him.
"Bradford, let's fight again in the inter-school tournament this semester."
"I refuse." I quickly responded.
"Guhh... then in the next one next semester?"
"Don't you understand? I don't plan to fight you again, stupid prince. You caused me a lot of trouble. Besides, Alisa asked me not to get involved with you anymore and that's what I plan to do."
Liam's eyes opened wide like plates as did his mouth. A stupid expression for a stupid person without a doubt.
Sorry, but you're stupid to the core.
His mouth then returned to normal and he spoke to me before leaving there.
"I will never recognize the lies you told about Klein, you hurt him to such an extent he doesn't even respond to my letters, let alone let me into his territory. I will never forgive you for harming my childhood friend!"
"That's fine with me, I won't forgive him either for being human garbage and you for being a handled idiot."
Once again his face made a stupid expression, he ran out while shouting at me like a child.
"You'll pay for this, Bradfordddd!"
Seeing the idiot run like that, I just laughed and entered the room.
◇◇◇
Having run out because of Rudel, Liam was sitting melancholically in a corner of the academy where the sunlight hardly illuminated him, no one knew he was there so it was a perfect place to think about the things that happened this semester.
Wiping his snot, Liam spoke in a low voice.
"Chlust and Frey are distant from me, as they called themselves weak so they won't speak to me again until they gain confidence."
"Klein is punished and locked in his territory until further notice. I can't do anything for him."
Liam squinted his teary eyes at the next name he pronounced.
"Then there's that Bradford boy. Not only did he cowardly defeat them to the point where he broke them, he also humiliated me calling me handled and even calls me stupid prince."
Liam gripped his arms more tightly thinking about Rudel.
"It bothers me more that my father praises him for hitting me while mother says I deserved it for playing around. She even forced me to apologize to Duke Bismarck in person. Alicelotte wasn't home at that moment, so the problems with my apology were minor."
Liam wanted to cry again just thinking about the misfortunes he went through thanks to Rudel.
"That villain has gotten away with it, I wanted to show him that justice exists and that I would never allow wicked acts to go unpunished."
Liam shed tears of helplessness.
This was an event that happened in the game, supposed to happen after being looked down upon by the guest he went to see, Liam would leave annoyed and somehow end up in the same place. A person would find him and make him see that his actions weren't wrong. That person was Irisdina, but she never met him nor exchanged a single word with him.
But it was someone else who appeared to him, that person was...
"I don't think you're wrong, Your Highness Liam!"
...Erselica.
Liam upon hearing his name wiped his tears with his sleeve and looked up at the voice calling him.
The sunlight was coming in, but it was a bit dark, still, he managed to see the girl. She was small, black uniform with white stockings up to her ankles, her hair was orange with a pumpkin shape and L-shaped sideburns, her eyes were hazel and she wore round glasses.
Liam wanted to ask what she was doing here and who she was, but the girl answered before him.
"I'm very sorry for my imprudence and discourtesy for meddling in your personal affairs, but I heard everything."
Liam wanted to scold that girl for being nosy, but she shut his mouth with the following words.
"Your Highness Liam is sad because he was scolded by that bast— villain Bradford, isn't that so?"
(How does she know that) Liam thought since no one had seen him meet with Rudel.
Erselica continued speaking.
"I was originally here because I'm very small, my classmates bully me for that. Today they threw me into a laundry basket and locked me in a closet there until a janitor opened the door."
Liam was stupefied at what he heard, he didn't know which was worse. The fact that he ignored someone's existence or that the person in front of him had constantly suffered harassment from other nobles?
Liam understood that his problems were minuscule compared to those of someone physically weak.
Liam bit his tongue after thinking how foolish he had been until now, he only concentrated on Rudel, but ignored the other cases and cruelties in the academy.
Erselica called him once more to tell him lines that only Irisdina should say.
"Prince Liam, please don't give up."
Liam opened his eyes once more, the place was dark, but a large ray of light illuminated the area. Erselica's silhouette cast a shadow that marked Liam's face, he could now clearly see Erselica's face.
Her face was small and fragile, had features that seemed like a child's, but her body was that of a sixteen-year-old girl.
"I saw what that evildoer Bradford did, and that the actions you took, prince, were correct. I'm sure something must have happened at the palace for him to have been rewarded, but please, Your Highness. Don't give up on your path which is the right one."
After saying that Erselica made a bow and ran out of there.
Liam tried to raise his hand to reach her, but couldn't.
Liam uttered words he never thought he'd say.
"That girl... was she an angel?"
The event was very similar to the game, but the new factor called Erselica had also altered an outcome. Irisdina should have been the one to say those comforting words, but another girl had done it, Erselica was filling the holes that the heroine and protagonist should have taken.
She thought it didn't matter if the formula was different as long as she obtained the same result.
◇
After entering the room, I quickly bowed because of the person sitting on a large sofa.
(What is this person doing here?) I thought while looking at the floor.
It was only an instant, but I saw the person before me who was a woman, she wore a long dress down to her ankles the color of bone white, it was for going out, but even so, it was very elegant with flower ornaments sewn on the sides.
Her face had youthful features like a teenager, painted lips highlighting the pink flesh. Her eyelashes were long and seemed natural, long hair the color of ash blonde. Navy blue eyes. She had a plastic floral diadem the same color as her eyes. Her hair rested on her left shoulder. The woman in front of me drank tea in a refined manner that reminded me a lot of Alisa.
She was Liam's mother and the queen of this country, she was Lecia von Altfode.
The part that reminds me most of Alisa are her ample breasts, they are so large they seem to have their own center of gravity that makes me lean when they bounce, surely it's thanks to motherhood, what a beautiful result.
The dress was so well made I couldn't tell if she wore a bra or not. It was a spectacular view but my eyes were more impacted by her curvaceous hips. They had a shape that seemed like a swan's neck growing with every centimeter. She was a woman who probably was the same age as my mother, but looked twenty. If she were a commoner, I would have conquered her even if she had a husband and children.
(Wait, what am I imagining! They'd cut off both my heads if I said that!)
A cold sweat ran through my body just thinking it. But it would be a risk I'd be willing to take if she were a commoner but not the queen.
"Please, rise, Baron Bradford. Don't be afraid as I'm not here as the queen, but as just another citizen."
She said that, but I'm still afraid, not because of her, but because of her sculptural body. I would have a moment of extreme happiness if I looked directly at any part of her body.
I rose slowly thinking of unpleasant things so my mood wouldn't lift.
I looked directly into her eyes, they were beautiful and serious like Alisa's, but at the same time warm and charming like Airi's.
"Today, in my busy schedule I have come explicitly to chat with some people. I've already spoken with some and with Liam, now it's you I wish to speak with."
"Forgive me for taking you away from your activity."
I quickly straightened up and reassured her.
"N-n-no need to worry about that! I was just talking with Alisa and Airi!"
Without meaning to, I let slip those girls' names.
She made a slight smile upon hearing me say that.
"I know Alisa, but that other girl, is she by any chance a commoner?"
"How do you know that?"
"I'm sorry, but I investigated a bit what you did on your vacation. I was surprised by the fact, not only that you got along with Alisa, even more with a commoner. You are undoubtedly a rarity, baron."
She drank tea after saying that, her pink lips kissed the cup as she took them from the rim. It was a glorious sight.
She continued praising me after that.
"I think it's great that a noble establishes non-commercial or work relationships with a commoner and it's only pure and sincere friendship. The same applies to an aristocrat like Alisa."
"Pardon me?" I said amazed at what she commented.
"Right, you didn't know, forgive my vague response."
"You see. That girl, Alisa, I met her when she was only six years old. Despite how she looks, that girl always said things like commoners were just tools. For an aristocrat like us, that comment was unnecessary. One day, she changed her behavior a bit, after that she went around saying and doing things to demonstrate that the aristocracy serves to set an example for others."
"She had come to the palace several times to receive education in case she had to become queen, my days were stressful as she was very dominant and wouldn't let herself be controlled. Even one day, she set the dining room on fire, I was scared if she had hurt herself, but she seemed fine, meanwhile Liam who was there was terrified seeing her."
"It was a very scary and comical day, ufufu."
She laughed with much nostalgia and charm, just like with Airi, I feel relaxed just seeing her.
But her expression became a bit sad after that.
"Then I found out what happened with her ex-fiancé and Liam. Really, I feel ashamed for not knowing how to control that boy and even more the silly things he said. As a woman, I'm sure she must have gone through very painful moments."
Her expression was very sad to see, besides us, there was a group of servants who were obviously her bodyguards. They also made sad faces.
The atmosphere was scary, but then she calmed it by lifting her head and looking at me.
"But then I found out that a knight without a title defended her and even made her smile again, reports say she went around with an enormous smile along with you and that girl. I truly thank you, baron."
"The decision to make you a knight was undoubtedly a great example to show how our nobles should be."
Her expression of joy was charming. Was this woman really a mother and the queen of this country?
"I would like Liam to learn a bit from you. Honestly I don't know what went wrong with that boy, I told his nanny to raise him well, but it seems she pampered him too much."
(Huhh!? Your Majesty, did you just say you didn't raise your son, but a servant did!? Nobility is a strange thing I don't want to get into!)
My head started spinning strangely upon hearing that possibly the reason that boy was stupid was due to lack of maternal love.
The queen said something, but I didn't understand her due to my confusion.
"Forgive me for being nosy in your personal life, Baron Bradford. But doesn't it bother you a bit to have a friendship relationship with only two girls? I'm sorry to say this, but no one thinks a relationship between a man and a woman can occur without romantic or physical intentions."
I was still lost in my thoughts, the queen must think that question had upset me and I was now annoyed, so she quickly changed to another question.
"B-better I change my question... Baron, I heard you still haven't gotten a fiancée. Could it be there's no girl to your liking? If you'd like, you can tell me what type of woman interests you and I'd help through a recommendation from an interested house!"
I was still in my thoughts until Ixion spoke.
"Master." an electronic voice said.
I opened my eyes upon hearing it, it was hidden thanks to an optical camouflage that deflects light.
This guy, Ixion, was an artificial intelligence known as an automaton of ancient humanity. His body was spherical with thin arms in the shape of pincers on one side of his body, his color was metallic gray with red lines and a large bright red eye in the center.
The problems I went through to obtain him came to mind, but now it didn't matter as he was my property. I spoke to him in a low voice only he could hear. By the way, where was he hiding all this time and why is he appearing now?
"What is it?"
"The queen asked you something a while ago and you're not responding."
I made a "Huh?" in response to that and a cramp ran through my body. Making the queen wait was bad.
"Quick, tell me what she said so I can think of something!"
Ixion after taking a few seconds, said it to me in a dejected manner...
"...I see." I said with a smile.
I lifted my head and straightened my body, my face made a serious expression and I spoke to her calmly.
"I'm sorry to keep you waiting, my queen. I was lost in my thoughts."
"I-I see, what is your response?"
My mouth moved to say the answer to the simplest question in the world.
"Simple and straightforward just one type. Big and mature."
The queen's face let out a "Sorry!" after my response.
"As I said. Big and mature."
That's right, big and mature fruits are the best. There are people who enjoy eating fruits still green or undeveloped, I never understood that type of taste.
"Since I'll open a resort it's normal to have the best and biggest exotic fruits at my disposal."
"I like those that have their growth time to the point of being classified as mature, also if they're that curvaceous it's much better for me."
My hands made a curvaceous shape of a pear that looked like an eight. The queen's gaze was very red to the point of being almost a tomato, the bodyguards had the same expression on their faces. Was a pair of that shape weird?
I continued with my explanation.
"I've tried several mature ones in my life so far."
The queen let out a comment and made an embarrassed face upon hearing my words. Was she embarrassed about how I enjoyed eating whatever I pleased while she maybe didn't?
"D-d-did you say t-tried...??? ... C-c-can I know h-how many in t-total???"
"Hmm, I don't remember the exact number, but I think if I'm not mistaken it would be over two hundred."
Of course, this is just a value added from my previous life and the new one to get that result.
My eyes were on the floor as I was thinking of a number. When I lifted my gaze, I could notice the queen not only had her face red like a tomato, her body was trembling slightly to the point that made her hand with the cup move tremblingly spilling small drops on her dress.
Her open mouth seemed to want to say something, but she stammered while her eyes seemed like billiard balls rolling from here to there.
I tried to approach to calm her down. I don't think it was a huge number of fruits I ate for her to get like this, right?
As I approached she shouted with all her might.
"Stay there!!"
Her breathing was getting faster and she panted as if she had been heated in an oven.
I returned to my spot and noticed the guards not only were surprised, but also red and even seemed some wanted to draw their weapons.
Maybe she doesn't like mature fruits, in that case I think the appropriate answer for her would be...
"Forgive me, my queen."
The queen stopped spinning her head to slowly turn towards me.
"I-is that so? I'm glad you've felt---"
"What you like are the young ones, isn't that right!"
The queen's expression this time was stronger than before.
Her body started releasing steam from how hot she was because of my answer. Her eyes opened wide to the point they seemed to want to cry.
I'm sure that must be the answer.
"By your expression I notice that must be it, next time I come, or if you prefer, I'll send to the castle several young fruits still unripe, I'll bring them myself if you wish."
This time the queen crumbled until she fell to the floor.
It seemed I had guessed right, some bodyguards ran to her while others approached me to throw me out.
They seemed anxious and impatient so without causing problems I left.
Ixion appeared after that.
"It seems the queen liked your answer very much."
"It seems so, Alisa said things like not to embarrass her. Let's go find them, Ixion."
"Understood, surely today you made a great achievement in this country's history."
◇◇◇
From that day, a story was born that would bring problems to Rudel forever. As the man who abruptly, shamelessly, and sexually harassed the queen of the Kingdom of Altfode, at the same time that day a strange feeling towards Rudel was born that the queen herself couldn't explain.