“Anyway, it seems I’m getting Marion as my officially assigned Maid, so I’m going to meet her and this Magic Tower Master…”
“Marion!?”
Hearing that name after so long, I couldn’t help but stand up abruptly.
That woman is still in the Royal Palace!?
With Wilfred’s downfall, she should have been relegated to the lowest rung in Kaditt Tower…
“Y-yeah… apparently, she’s a highly capable Maid, so they prepared her for me…”
Owen seems a bit bewildered by my reaction.
But anyone would be surprised by this, and I can only feel a bad premonition.
Could it be that they’re trying to mold Owen into another scumbag like Wilfred…?
“Listen, Owen, never trust Marion. It’s for your own good.”
“R-really…? But His Majesty the King said it was for my sake…”
Perhaps because I warned him with such a serious expression, Owen unusually heeded my advice and seemed a bit downcast.
I learned after that Party that although this guy was assigned to the protagonist by King Aival as a replacement for Wilfred, his true nature, while foolish and rude, is in a way honest and simple. To put it nicely, he’s not the type to be capable of scheming.
Ideally, avoiding any involvement and keeping my distance would be the best way to avoid Ruin flags for me, the stepping stone, but conversely, I also think that leaving him alone would make him more vulnerable to being exploited by unsavory characters.
Especially if Marion has been assigned as Owen’s Personal Maid.
“B-back to the topic, I’m going to meet the Magic Tower Master with just Marion. They said I could pick a few other people to bring along, but I… don’t really know anyone…”
He visibly drooped his shoulders and kept glancing at our faces.
Ehh… so he’s basically inviting us to join him?
“I refuse.”
“I haven’t even asked yet!?”
Well, you were clearly planning to ask.
There’s no way I’m getting involved in such a troublesome matter.
“M-Master! You’ll come, right, Master!”
“There’s no way I’d go if Lord Hal isn’t going.”
Well, that’s to be expected.
With the Dragon’s Favor, there’s no way Sandra, a Yandere specialist, would leave my side, her partner.
“W-what about L-Lady Liliana…”
“Ehh, no way.”
“Guh!?”
Owen was flatly rejected by Liliana, and now he’s completely run out of people to invite.
Lize, Christia, and Carla are also here, but they’re gradually distancing themselves from Owen, so I can see their firm resolve to refuse.
“Uoooooo…! Am I… am I really hated this much…!”
Owen finally collapsed onto the table, letting out sobs.
I feel sorry for him, but if I get involved with you, I’m bound to be asked to play the stepping stone. I don’t want to set up any unnecessary flags here.
“Hey… Harold… if you come with me, Master and everyone else will come too. So, please help meeee…!”
“Whoa!? H-hey, stop it!?”
With a face covered in tears and snot, Owen clung to my leg and begged.
There was no trace of the protagonist of Engage Hazard left in him.
This guy… despite being the protagonist, he can throw away his pride this much for a stepping stone…
While I’m impressed by Owen in a way, I also hate bad endings.
No matter how much you beg, I’m definitely refusing.
“P-please! If you come with me, I’ll follow you for life! Originally, I don’t care about the Succession Dispute! So!”
Wow, he’s really desperate.
I mean, is it really okay for the protagonist to submit to a stepping stone? If Yuri were here, I’d want to grill her for an hour.
As I wondered what to do, I glanced at Sandra… ah, I see, she’s leaving the decision to me.
Monica and everyone else seem to feel the same way, so it seems I’m the one who has to decide after all…
“God, Buddha, Lord Harold, please, I beg you…”
Well, there may be a God in this world, but there’s no Buddha. Between the bowing culture and everything else, the world’s setting is getting weird bit by bit.
Well, but… Haa, I guess I have no choice…
“Listen, this is only this once. And until we return to the Royal Capital from the Magic Tower, you absolutely have to follow my instructions, got it?”
“! O-of course! Thank you! Thank you so much…!”
Owen took my hand, looked up at the ceiling, and cried.
I want to ask myself if this is really okay, but well… since my (younger) brother is crying and begging, I guess I have no choice.
I returned a wry smile to Sandra, who was watching us and smiling wryly.
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