133 - Everyone's Riel-san
"As I thought, bees and butterflies are better than flowers. I want to be a bee or a butterfly, fluttering around beautiful flowers."
Inside the tent, positioned between two camps glaring at each other across a long, narrow table, I corrected my previous statement from outside, with Monica by my side.
Since I was told that being naked was unacceptable, I reluctantly put on a gown, though I decided to endure it by leaving the chest wide open.
Directly in front of me, Alette-san sat huddled, looking as if she were trying to make herself as small as possible.
Beside her, her adjutant stood a short distance away. She had a dignified posture, but her expression was pale, perhaps from nervousness.
Monica, who was taking care of me, served tea while speaking.
"You chicken, we're in the middle of a conversation."
"Right. In short, you came to recruit us, is that it? I've been listening carefully. To think you'd go as far as offering yourself just to recruit me... you certainly have an eye for talent."
From within the orb, the voices of the successive heads of the family spoke. Starting from the third generation.
'Riel-san, you're truly Riel-san today as well!'
'From the first Marvelous, we've had consecutive candidates this time...'
'...That's it. He was in poor health for a long period this time, so this must be the rebound.'
'I cast my vote for the statement "I'll dye the graveyard in my own colors." That bold declaration to dye that hell in his own colors... it has to be that one!'
'Sixth generation, it is still too early. Let us wait slowly, listening to the delusional remarks that will surely follow. After all, this is Riel-san.'
Smiling, I turned the conversation back to Alette-san, who looked at both camps before correcting me.
"N-no... I didn't mean it like that. I truly just evaluated your abilities and reached out to recruit you. Besides, as adventurers, we'll be dealing with each other in the future anyway."
The way her gaze shifted left and right was likely because of the beautiful flowers who were feeling jealous.
Good grief... what a sinful man I am.
Alette-san spoke to me in a panic.
"T-the recruitment itself wasn't the main point! It's that! That!"
Alette-san glanced at her adjutant. The adjutant averted her gaze with a look of extreme distaste.
I thought about what "that" could be—
"I see, the Porter. You have a keen eye. That is the masterpiece of Monica and me! The prototype of the Porter I'm teaching at Alamsars is my Mini-Porter!"
When I told her, Alette-san spoke with a look of relief.
"That's it! I want you to teach me about that Mini-Porter, or the Porter! That will revolutionize transport. Yes!"
As Alette-san nodded to herself, I pressed my hand to my face and spoke apologetically.
"I'm sorry. There are circumstances on my end, and teaching it would require time. Besides, if I teach one person, people will come one after another asking for lessons. Since I can't secure that much time, I've decided not to teach it."
The fourth generation sounded frustrated.
'...If only I had the time, I'd teach it in Beim and make a fortune. Sigh, if only I had the time.'
It was the kind of content one could likely make a living just by teaching.
However, we had the goal of training ourselves while simultaneously earning money.
"I believe it's being taught at Alamsars, so I recommend learning it there. Well, if you can use magic, I think you can operate it relatively easily."
At that, Alette-san looked happy.
"I see! Then it can't be helped! Well then, we shall take our leave. We have preparations for the next thing, yes!"
Why did she look happy? While wondering, I noticed Alette-san was about to leave the tent.
"Come to think of it, regarding those documents from before... do you still have them?"
Turning around, Alette-san's face turned red as she shouted.
"There's no way I'd always have them! At that time... at that timeeee!!"
Watching Alette-san look as if she were about to cry, I brushed back my hair and spoke.
"Then bring them right now. I'll sign them on the spot. Now, run and get them!"
Alette-san's tearful face turned to one of stunned disbelief. Beside her, the adjutant, who had been comforting Alette-san, widened her eyes as she looked at me.
From the orb, the fifth generation spoke.
'As expected of Riel-san. I'm looking forward to hearing what Riel says later.'
On either side of me were Novem and Miranda. Looking at me, they spoke with smiles.
"Riel-sama, this is far too sudden, no matter how you look at it. Please, confirm your partner a bit more..."
"You be quiet! Riel, don't say anything unnecessary in your current state! Listen, you understand what kind of period this is, right? Besides, our problem hasn't been solved yet."
Listening to their opinions, I spread my arms for a moment. Then, I crossed them as if embracing myself.
"Don't be so jealous. After all, I am everyone's Riel. Don't worry, I'll make everyone happy!"
Both Novem and Miranda pressed their hands to their foreheads as if they had a headache.
Then, they turned their gaze toward Alette-san instead of me.
Inside the tent, where the atmosphere had become even more strained, Alette-san seemed unable to take it anymore—
"I-I too... I too understand that I'm not being serious after this growth!"
—And she left the tent in tears.
The adjutant hurriedly said, "Excuse us," and chased after Alette-san.
Only we remained in the tent.
I took a sip of the tea Monica had brewed and looked at everyone.
"Now then, shall we begin our pleasant discussion?"
With a smile of composure, I encouraged the glaring women to talk.
The start of the matter was something trivial.
Accompanied by Novem, Aria, and Miranda—the three who had recovered from the fatigue before the growth—I returned from the labyrinth.
I had been lying down at the campsite for a while, but when morning came, I thought of an idea so brilliant it made everything I'd considered until then seem foolish.
And so, when I went outside to announce it, Eva and May, led by Novem, were facing Aria and Shannon, led by Miranda.
Clara was watching from a short distance, but she seemed to be leaning toward Miranda's side.
Monica was by my side, and I had jumped right into the middle of the glare between the two parties.
And the problem was—
"Novem didn't give the details regarding the staff. Besides, she met and spoke with someone from the Foxuz family in Beim... and that's not all, there are many suspicious points about Novem."
Miranda seemed unable to forgive Novem's actions thus far, and the fact that she had kept the matter of the staff a secret from us.
She likely wondered if Novem had a connection to Celes.
In contrast, Novem replied calmly.
"It is true that I was deceptive. However, that was for Riel-sama's sake. Above all, I had no intention of causing any disadvantage with that deception. More importantly... Miranda-san, you had a lookout following me, didn't you? Furthermore, you brought gunpowder this time. If there had been a sympathetic detonation, it would have been disastrous."
Eva agreed with Novem. May also stood on Novem's side, defending her.
"Basically, putting a lookout on someone just because Novem is suspicious is crazy!"
"I agree. Besides, if you don't like it, why not just distance yourself?"
On Miranda's side were Aria and Shannon, and though she kept some distance, Clara was also on Miranda's side.
Aria spoke.
"It's because she's doing things that naturally invite suspicion! Besides, the same thing happened with Novem before."
Shannon was flustered; she looked at me, let out a sigh, and looked down.
"Sigh... the current Riel is no good."
It was offensive to be told I was no good. Alright, let's produce the best result from this hopeless situation.
Just as I thought that, Clara spoke.
"It's true that Miranda-san was also keeping secrets. I think the lookout was going too far... but as a result, Novem-san did meet with someone from her family home. And didn't she say the thing she received was a family heirloom staff? A tremendous staff, or so she said."
Both sides likely had their reasons.
Novem spoke.
"I have acted for Riel-sama's sake, both now and in the past. It is offensive to have that doubted."
She protested quietly.
Monica, watching the argument by my side, spoke.
"Hmph, what a scene of carnage. As expected of a chicken who dares to step right on such an obvious landmine."
I didn't fully understand the concept of landmines, but I could tell I was being praised.
"Don't praise me too much. I feel like I might float away."
As I watched the argument while drinking tea, the dispute continued within the orb as well.
The third and fourth generations spoke.
'How could you say such things to Novem-chan... if this girl hadn't been here, the current Riel wouldn't exist! Also, I still think Marvelous is the Best Riel Award this time!'
'Exactly. There's no justification for treating Novem-chan, who devoted herself so much, like this just because Miranda and the others came later! By the way, for me, it's "Bring the marriage documents, I'll sign them on the spot."'
The fifth generation spoke with a bit of distance.
'I have no intention of meeting him, but was it Octo? He told me to trust Novem. It's a fact that she has some kind of connection. I think it's questionable to trust everything. I'll go with Marvelous. The impact is different from the others.'
The sixth generation spoke.
'You say Miranda is in the wrong? Ignoring Novem's secretiveness, is that really the way to put it? In fact, it was Miranda who exposed the facts she had been hiding. By the way, I'm going with "dye the graveyard in my own colors."'
The seventh generation also spoke.
'I understand she is indebted to the Foxuz family. I myself have been saved in similar ways more than once or twice. However, blindly trusting is dangerous. I'll hold off since I think something else might come up.'
Opinions seemed divided regarding Novem here as well.
(Good grief... every single one of them. Isn't it simple? Rather, comrades who act for my sake... if this isn't wonderful, what is!)
Looking at the two camps arguing, I stood up and declared.
"I love you allllll!"
Because I shouted suddenly, the argument on the spot stopped dead. I looked up at the heavens, covered my face with both hands, and spoke.
"I am so happy to be loved this much."
Monica spoke.
"Oh? Is this the pattern where he's become strange because the atmosphere was too strained? This is your fault. Take a little more care of this delicate chicken!"
Novem spoke worriedly.
"R-Riel-sama, I am sorry. But since I am suspected like this, eventually we will have to talk..."
Miranda also gazed at me worriedly.
"I went a bit too far. But if I'm to entrust my life to her, there are things I want to know..."
I faced forward and spread my arms.
"I understand! In short, you can't trust each other, is that it!"
Everyone looked at each other and nodded.
"Then it's simple. I'll show you that something like this can be solved immediately."
I directed a smile at everyone, but every single one of them looked at me with suspicion. Sadly, it seemed I wasn't trusted because of my usual behavior.
(True, I was a bit passive. But from today on, I am different!)
"Now then, to solve this immediately, I'll have everyone kiss me. A deep one!"
At that, Aria's face turned red, she knocked over her chair as she stood up, and moved to the corner of the tent.
Shannon's mouth hung open, and Clara was red up to her ears.
May spoke.
"Come to think of it, last time you were in the form of a Kirin. Which one this time? A Kirin again?"
Since she said that, I spoke with a smile.
"The feel of a Kirin is good, but I request the human form. I shall take the first kiss of both."
However, May shrugged her shoulders in exasperation.
"Too bad. My first kiss was with Fredricks."
Within the orb, a voice could be heard blaming the fifth generation.
'Pervert.'
'No way~, there's no way he's even in the double digits~'
'To think the father has such tastes... how embarrassing.'
'Always acting so refined, and yet these are your tastes?'
The fifth generation raged.
'It was just a greeting in Kirin form! The tongue just happened to enter the mouth! You all are saying this knowing full well, aren't you!'
It was a bit disappointing, but I decided to accept it as inevitable since it was the fifth generation.
"Well, that's fine then. Now, immediately..."
Then, Shannon protested vehemently.
"Don't mess around! Putting tongues in... no way!"
Looking at Shannon protesting with a red face, I put my hand to my chin.
"If deep is no good, how about a 'tongue-kiss'? See, it sounds kind of cute."
"It's not cute at all! Besides, it's the same thing! Absolutely, no!"
Shannon crossed her arms and looked away. I did think I had rushed too much.
"I understand. You can pass. I'll look forward to next time. Now then, with the remaining members—"
When I said that, Shannon reached out to me with a slightly troubled face.
"Eh, no... you're backing down that easily?"
She said that, but since time was precious, I decided to look at the other members and start once they were ready. However, there was still one person resisting.
Eva.
"Wait a minute... I mean, I'm acting together with Riel, but it's not like I'm in love with him. I hate kissing and such."
She told me that quite plainly.
But I wouldn't give up at this level.
"I see."
"That's right. So, this time, just kiss the remaining members. I mean, why kissing? Do you think using a skill will resolve this situation?"
Approaching the suspicious Eva, I wrapped my arm around her waist, pushed her down, and hugged her, supporting her waist with my hand.
I gripped her resisting hand with my right hand and brought my face close.
"Then, fall in love with me now. Fall in love right now."
"H-huh!? You're crazy!!"
Eva resisted, but she averted her face to avoid meeting my gaze. However, her cheeks were slightly red.
(There's a chance!)
From within the orb, the seventh generation spoke.
'...Perhaps this "fall in love now" is the most fitting for the Best Riel?'
The third generation spoke.
'Eh~, it's still Marvelous, right?'
The fifth generation spoke frustratedly.
'I won't forget that you all called me a pervert earlier. Oh, I'm changing mine to "because I'm everyone's Riel."'
While the surroundings were in confusion and unable to move properly, I looked into Eva's eyes and spoke.
"Rest assured. It's only a difference between falling in love now or falling in love later!"
Eva resisted.
"I told you, no! I have dreams too! A dream where, at the end of a play, my partner brings a bouquet and confesses... and yet, there's no way I'd fall for a man who tells me to fall in love in a place with so many people!"
Hearing Eva's explanation, Monica spoke in exasperation.
"No, I think your dream involves even more people around you, so it's not that different..."
Hearing Eva's dream, I nodded.
"I understand. In that case, the confession comes later. I'll take your lips first. Once you're ready, I'll make your dream come true. Imagine it... renting out a huge theater, and after your performance ends, me confessing to you in front of everyone. The sight of a full audience applauding us! Besides... you don't hate being watched, do you?"
Then, Eva's cheeks flushed and she nodded.
"...Yes."
It seemed she had imagined the confession scene and was looking happy.
Shannon pointed at Eva.
"Hey, she just nodded and answered! After saying all those things, what's with nodding and blushing!"
(Got her!)
Before she could regain her composure, I kissed Eva. A surprised Eva widened her eyes for a moment, but quickly returned to normal.
I felt the line of the skill [Connection] form between me and Eva.
(Alright, next—)
The fourth generation muttered.
'If only he had this much initiative normally... well, maybe it's fine because it's only occasionally.'
Everyone in the tent was looking at us with red faces.
—It was a circular room.
The ceiling was high, with a round blue gem embedded in it.
It seemed I wasn't mistaken in thinking it resembled Riel's orb.
Standing in the center of the room was Riel, not in a gown, but in his usual clothes.
In that wide room, there were five doors.
And floating in the air were the silver greatsword and bow that Riel used. On the floor, there was something like a circular ring that was slightly elevated.
Looking around, I saw Clara, still red-faced, swaying unsteadily.
May, looking around and staring at the doors, was calm.
(Because it's her second time? She said she kissed him before... I mean, kissing in the form of a Kirin, what was Riel thinking...)
Miranda had a headache, but she never imagined her first kiss would be lost in such a situation.
A forceful Riel was fine, but she also felt that she wanted him to create some mood if possible.
(Well, it's not like he'll prepare a confession just for Eva, so I'll tell him my requests later... is this the inside of Riel's heart, where we were brought by the skill [Connection]?)
Riel's skill [Connection].
It was a skill that meant a link. A skill that allowed communication by connecting with each other via lines of magical power.
However, even Miranda hadn't imagined that it could pull consciousness into the heart.
On top of the ring.
Riel suddenly spread his arms, bathed in several beams of light descending from the ceiling.
"If words don't work, speak with your fists! That is the way of the Walt family, continuing from the first generation! Now then, why don't you all step up to the ring!"
Everyone around him looked at Riel on the ring, unable to understand—.