The World of Otome Game
is a Second Chance for Broken Swords
Story Starts
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Chapter 2.1 -
Interlude
Knighthood of the Saint and
The Barony of the Second (Step) Son
Six months had passed since Leon set off. He had been a good son, regularly sending letters about what he was doing and where.
Unfortunately, Zola refused to take the letters as proof of Leon's achievements—there was no public record yet, since the palace was still reviewing them. That brought Balcus to his current predicament.
Zola was back at the Bartfort house—shrill complaints spilling across the study. Balcus ignored her as best as he could, focusing instead on the paperwork of his reduced barony. At least his earlier consolidations had steadied things—his commonfolk even looked forward to the year's latter half.
"...to all the trouble to secure him that engagement," Zola huffed, "Are you even listening? What right do you have…"
He gave her his usual nod to placate—
"...son… Colin… age…chores around the house."
'Wait, is she talking about giving my ten-year-old son to that fifty-year-old hag?'
He breathed out evenly, tempering his anger. "Colin? The boy isn't even ten. And I've already said—Leon is coming back. He has fulfilled his promise, so you no longer need to worry about your stepsons' future.
Zola couldn't hold back the snort of derision and her condescending laughter. "Do you seriously believe that? It's been six months since he left this island."
"Six! Months!" she said, banging on the table with each word.
"Far likelier he's hiding—or working in a commoner's pub, saving coin to flee." She crossed her legs, heel tapping irritably against the desk.
"Honestly, this is the problem with rural nobles like you—and your children. None of you understands the chivalric code."
According to Holfort's Code of Chivalry, a knight swore fealty to his master. In turn, vassal knights pledged loyalty to their lords. The code demanded a noble and righteous life—daily training, and frugality as virtues. A knight's duty was to risk his life for his liege, with the highest honour in fighting for the Holfort Kingdom. In more recent years, it has expanded to include protecting women and laying down one's life for their sake.
Put simply, the code conveniently moulded the behaviour of followers to suit those in power.
Leon's mother, Balcus' mistress, lounged to the side with a book, ignoring the squabble as she always did whenever Zola visited.
At that moment, the young boy, Colin, flung open the workroom door with as much strength as he could muster. He was panting, gasping, trying to get the words out.
"Colin, go back to your room," Balcus ordered. "You know better than to enter without knocking—"
Colin thrust a finger at the window, out of breath and speechless.
A vast floating island, accompanied by smaller ones, was being pulled by several airships into the border of the Bartfort barony.
'Was there a viscount relocating nearby?' Balcus thought, noting the bewildered faces of both Zola and Luce.
"Father, father!" Colin jumped up, finger stabbing toward the sky. "Look at the size of that ship!"
The vast flagship hauled the island into place, its escorts drifting into formation. Then, with a ripple of thrusters, a smaller vessel detached and cut a line toward Bartfort's dock.
Everyone hurried out without delay.
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It had been about six months since Leon's foray into the deep end, taking matters into his own hands when his stepmother—the baroness—schemed to marry him off to one of her 'friends.'
They—well, Zola—argued the household couldn't afford the academy, so the wiser course was to marry him off, then be rid of him by sending him to the military.
It was a common scheme among noblewomen across the Holfort baronies: while their husbands served in the military, they drew a stipend—and if the men died in battle, the widows claimed a considerable pension.
Leon guessed that was their plan—the woman was fifty years old with seven dead husbands.
'Fifty-year-old widow of seven husbands—that's a death flag if you ask me,' Leon thought with a wince—the words straight out of a visual novel.
Well, being surrounded by Taiga and Illya, who were addicted to their dating simulators, would do that to you.
'Well, just give me a peaceful life, thank you very much.' Still, Leon doubted that would be the case with the achievements he'd made in the past six months.
'I should have pawned most of this to Illy—I meant Olivia, damn it,' Leon thought, while Luxion guided the vessel neatly into dock. Being a mere vassal, aiding in land development, would've suited him just fine.
Leon glanced at Olivia, lazing with Luxion's terminal hugged to her chest, feet propped on the console. Luxion—despite his obsession with wiping out the new humans—had taken a quick liking to her.
While her trace of 'old human' DNA might have helped, Leon thought they were simply compatible in attitude. A shiver ran down his spine at the memory of Berserker Herakles—hulking, stone axe raised—charging him as he shielded a gravely injured Saber.
'That wasn't one of my greater moments.'
Leon alighted from the vessel, Olivia following with a rucksack the size of her torso, carrying it without the slightest strain, as Luxion's terminal vanished under its cloaking device. A smaller craft touched down at the pier, from which emerged his father and mother—followed, of course, by his 'lovely' stepmother.
"Dad! Mum! I kept my promise—I'm back! Look at the islands we discovered!" Leon said, grinning proudly.
Luce suddenly stepped forward and smothered him with a hug—forcing Leon to stoop so his tall frame didn't swallow her. His father followed, joy in his smile as he clapped Leon's back.
"Good. You've expanded my territories. I'll be inspecting the new lands—and that vessel stuffed with gold and jewellery. Now hand them over."
"Baroness Bartfort—the contract you made with father has nothing to do with me," Leon said evenly, knowing any word might trigger her.
"At eighteen, I'm officially an adult. I've even registered as an adventurer, which means anything I've discovered or found belongs to me."
This silenced her for a moment. His father seemed to have something to say, but Luce stopped him from interfering.
Zola shot back, petulant, "You used your parents' money to earn these treasures! And now you flaunt them before us and claim they're yours?!"
Leon had expected that, but the Holfort Kingdom had a strictly enforced rule that adventurers could claim any land or treasure they had found. After all, this country had been founded on that basic principle.
"If my parents want to scold me, fine," Leon said, gesturing at Olivia. "But as thanks for your… concern in securing my future, I have a gift for our baroness."
Leon knew he was laying it on thick, but that was how nobles typically conducted themselves—making overly polite grand gestures as a mask for gaining the upper hand.
In truth, all his courtesy boiled down to one message: 'get off my back, hag.'
Olivia came forward and placed the bag in front of Zola, bowing lightly before returning to Leon's flank.
The rucksack's mouth gaped open, revealing a hoard of gold coins and jewellery. Most likely, everyone was wondering how such a slight girl had carried it.
Zola would probably need help carrying it back—but she would never lower herself to ask Balcus or Leon.
Naturally, Zola refused to concede. "You can't honestly think anyone's going to accept your nonsense! Balcus will be the one in charge of managing your island and treasures, yes? I have every right to them!"
Before landing, Leon had consulted Luxion about this and knew exactly how to counter.
"That would only work if I left my fortune here. But I've struck out on my own, as an adult and an adventurer. I can handle my assets by myself." Leon shrugged. "Though I do still have to contribute to Bartfort House. So I'm thinking about investing in our territory."
"These—" Leon gestured to the treasure—"are to buy back our territories and develop them further. I'll handle it personally. I wouldn't trouble Father, and I wouldn't dream of burdening our baroness with such trivialities."
Her brows furrowed, deep wrinkles creasing her forehead as she glowered at Leon.
If Leon handed over any part of his fortune to Balcus, he was sure she'd immediately snatch it for herself. But she couldn't swipe anything if he invested it directly in their land. She couldn't pick up a road or cut off a chunk of the harbour and take it home with her. The thought almost cracked Leon's even mask.
But before she could reply, another vessel appeared and landed at the dock.
A regal-looking man emerged, introducing himself as an envoy from the royal court, here to issue a decree of accession.
Unfurling a scroll, he read aloud: "By the King's decree: Leon Fou Bartfort is hereby elevated to Rank Seven, Baron. Ms Olivia is granted the title of Rank Nine Knight, for their discoveries and contributions to the Kingdom of Holfort."
Leon bowed, taking the scroll. "I accept this honour—and on Knight Olivia's behalf, pledge that we will serve Holfort's prosperity."
The official bowed in return before leaving.
Everyone's eyes turned to Leon and then Olivia.
"Father, Mother, Baroness Zola—this is Olivia. She will be my vassal."
Olivia beamed. "Greetings! I'm Olivia. I'm going to be Leon's vassal knight—and his mistress. So… may I call you Mum and Dad?"
All eyes fixed on Leon, incredulous, as the faint twitch of his eye cracked his calm facade.
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END