I Absolutely Won't Allow It
No!!!!!!
Allen knew it the instant he heard that scream.
I'm fucked.
He had warned him. He had told him. And still that clueless little brother had gone and lit the fuse.
I have to get out of here. Right now.
This was a matter of life and death.
He had come home for the first time in ages, planning to greet the family, catch up with the household, maybe even linger a while and enjoy the rare peace.
No!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
That plan shattered into dust the moment his little sister's second scream tore through the mansion.
If Lirith lays eyes on me, I'm dead for sure.
Allen spun on his heel and hurried toward the exit of Frigid Manor.
A woman stepped into his path.
"Waaah~! Young Master Allen, it's been so long!"
"E-Emma…?"
Looking at the personal maid beaming at him with that sly little smile, Allen could only think one thing.
I'm fucked.
She was not happy to see him. Not even close.
Back when they were children she had always played the clumsy, fragile little thing. It had been cute enough that he once approached her when she was alone.
Emma!~ Thanks for looking after my little brother! Hahahaha!
…Tch!
Emma…?
Ah, yes… Thank you, Young Master.
She had clicked her tongue right in front of him. After that, the same reaction every single time. It hadn't taken him long to realize the pure, helpless act only ever appeared when his younger brother was around.
This maid was a cunning little fox.
And now that same Emma was smiling at him, blocking the way.
"Young Master~ Where are you rushing off to in such a hurry?"
"Haha!… I've already seen my beloved little brother, so I was just about to head out…"
"Aww~ … You should stay and rest a little longer. Nice. And. Slow."
Allen made a snap decision. He could not afford to get pinned down here. He had to vanish before his sister found him.
"Sorry, but I've got urgent business! I'll be going now!"
"Young Master?!"
"Hahaha!! See you next time!!"
He bolted for the front gates.
Running away was something he excelled at. Every time his mother had tried to drag the runaway heir back home, Allen had always slipped the noose. This time would be no different. He poured everything into a full sprint.
Emma, whom he had expected to chase him, simply stood there.
Is she just giving up?
Allen was just starting to feel relief when—
"Lady Grace!!!"
Emma's shout rang out behind him.
"Understood!"
Thud!!
"Guhhhhk!!"
The answer came at the exact same moment a crushing impact slammed into his gut. Allen crumpled with a strangled groan of pure agony.
"Hahk!… I may not look it, but I'm still the eldest son of House Frigid, you know…? Cough…"
Sprawled on the ground, clutching his kicked stomach, he glared up at the red-haired knight standing over him.
Edward's personal guard, if he remembered right.
He already knew the story—how, on his little brother's tenth birthday, the Imperial family had gifted a half-dragon slave, and Edward had taken her as his knight. Clearly she was no ordinary fighter. Even in a man's body, Allen had always prided himself on raw speed. He had never imagined anyone could catch him before he even reacted.
Still… isn't this a bit much?
Sure, she was trying to stop him from running, but his name was still written clear as day in the family registry… probably… for now, at least?
And she had just casually kicked him like that!
His protest died under the knight's flat reply.
"Her Grace instructed me to subdue you by force if necessary, should you suddenly act out or attempt to flee."
"W-What?"
"She said not to kill you, though."
Mother! I'm still your son, for god's sake!!
Expecting the escape and ordering him restrained was one thing. "Just don't kill him" was something else entirely!
He wanted to call it a bluff, but—
Thud!
The next merciless punch from the knight forced him to accept reality.
"Guhhhk! Stop…"
Thud!
"Guhhhk!! W-Wait, I won't run, just stop hi—"
Allen no longer had the strength left to flee. He was already surrendering.
"Her Grace ordered me to use force to subdue you if you try to escape."
Thud!
"Kehek!"
"Just. Don't. Kill. You."
The knight repeated the exact same lines as before.
"I said I'm not running, dammit—!"
Thud!!
His words might as well have been wind. She ignored them completely and kept swinging.
"Grrrk…"
Even after he collapsed foaming at the mouth—
Thud! Thud! Thud!
"She ordered me to subdue you by force."
—she simply repeated the same sentence over and over while her fists kept flying.
Perhaps this was karma for all the times he had run away from home. The household servants and soldiers standing nearby only glanced at the scene with dull eyes. Not a single one moved to stop it.
"Emma, a few more hits won't kill him. I'll even let you have a turn."
"…I'd love nothing more, but… I'll pass for now, Lady Grace."
Grace and Emma looked down at the thoroughly pulverized Allen sprawled at their feet.
"…Young Master deciding something this important without even consulting us…"
Camilla's orders had forced them to step back, but even at a distance they had strained every sense to catch every word of the conversation.
When they first heard Edward's soft laughter from inside the room, both of them had felt genuine gratitude toward Allen.
Young Master is laughing!
Young Master has recovered his spirit!…
Then the rest of the conversation turned into a disaster.
Marriage. Out of nowhere. And Edward had accepted it.
They understood his decision.
Because I showed him how powerless I really am…
Does he no longer believe I can keep the Hero in check from now on…?
Bitterness and helplessness crashed over them at once, but the truth was the truth. They had no choice but to accept it.
Accepting it in their heads, however, was not the same as accepting it in their hearts.
Of course they had always known he would eventually bind himself to someone. They had just… hoped…
How dare she even think— no, it's not like I never thought about it myself…
Master and me… ahem!
…that the someone might be them.
That quiet dream they had lived on for so long had just been ripped away without warning. And the other party was none other than the Imperial Princess.
They were certain of one thing: Charlotte had fallen for Edward's face alone. She knew nothing of his kindness or his gentle heart. Visiting the northern Frigid lands a handful of times a year did not mean she understood him.
Just a shallow bitch who fell for Young Master's pretty face.
If you didn't know better you'd think she was some cheap whore rolling around in a back alley…
That was their honest assessment of the princess.
But what could they do?
"You're wrong, Emma. Master has no obligation to listen to the opinions of lowly servants like us…"
The man they served had chosen the princess. As subordinates, they had no right to object.
"B-But—!"
"I know… My head understands it perfectly. My heart just keeps screaming that it isn't right."
What could they do? People always ran into things they understood yet simply could not accept.
"What do we do? At this rate Young Master really will end up with that lewd princess…"
"Ugh… For now, all we can do is trust Lady Lirith…"
"You're right. Lady Lirith is the only one we can count on."
As mere servants they could never raise their voices against Edward. That would be the height of disrespect—and betrayal—toward the man who had taken them in.
So the only person they could rely on was Lirith Frigid, the next head of the house, who stood far above them.
They both knew Lirith did not see Edward as just a beloved little brother. But that feeling was forbidden, so she had never crossed the line. And because Edward had never taken a lover or even looked at another woman, Lirith had been content to remain the doting older sister.
But now…
What would she do if her little brother bound himself to someone else and vanished right before her eyes? And that someone was Princess Charlotte, of all people.
They didn't even need to see it. They already knew. That was why they had decided to place their faith in Lirith.
"Still…"
"Yes?"
"I'm a little worried she might go too far…"
"Ah… Yeah, that is a bit concerning."
Lirith's love for Edward was so extreme that a certain amount of dread was inevitable. Just listening to those earlier screams was enough to know she was even worse than the two of them. There was no way she would accept this quietly. What she might actually do was anyone's guess.
"Even so…"
"Yes. Exactly."
They had no choice but to trust Lirith, and they intended to throw every resource they had into helping her.
Because…
Him binding himself to someone.
Him binding himself to anyone who wasn't them…
It was still far too soon.
No—
They would never allow it.
"More importantly, what do we do with this one?"
"We'll tie him up for now. We were only following orders."
"Right. Just following orders, weren't we?"
"Exactly."
"Oh, now that I think about it, I'm still really pissed. I'll just hit him a few more times."
Thud! Thud!
"Mm, I'm still not satisfied either. A few more for me as well."
Thud! Thud!
…They vented the last of their rage on the unconscious man—carefully enough that he wouldn't die—then turned and walked back into the mansion.