We, the ones who defeated the boss.
Narcis‑san was talking all excited in front of the holy tree sapling.
“It's my first time seeing a holy tree sapling. How divine is it? But unfortunately, if we just leave it like this it’ll wither. Even after we got it, everything’s been dying, but now that we have a sapling, maybe with a cultivation method we haven’t tried yet we can keep it alive—”
I dug around the sapling, pulled it out, and placed it in the special case I’d brought.
I put it in a transparent square case and sealed the lid.
Narcis‑san saw what I was doing and shouted.
“What the—what are you doing!!”
From my point of view it just looked like a slightly glowing houseplant.
But to Narcis‑san and the others it was an object of worship.
“Ah, sorry. This is what I wanted.”
Narcis‑san’s mouth was moving uselessly.
“Listen, the holy tree sapling is crucial for this nation’s future—! And you guys, what are you doing! At least hear me out!”
Looking around, Julius and the others were digging up exposed magic stones.
“The purity and size are perfect.”
“Marie‑san will be pleased, too.”
Over there Chris was excavating metal, but it was so huge he was having trouble.
“How am I supposed to carry this back? But a piece of metal this big would fetch a high price if we sold it.”
In this place we could keep pulling up magic stones and metal one after another.
It must be a spot rich in magical energy as well.
“You all!”
When I raised my voice at the three, Narcis‑san looked at me with hopeful eyes.
“Y‑yeah, right! This is the place where the holy tree sapling was found. We have to preserve it carefully. You should follow Leon’s example—”
“Leave some for me, too. Transporting it won’t be a problem. I’ve arranged a pickup.”
A small boat dropped down from the ceiling.
Julius was startled.
“A small boat? How does Bartfort have one of those?”
I lied.
“We lowered it from the Einhorn. The holy tree oath? That wasn’t covered, right?”
“Is that so? Then we could have just landed right here.”
“If we kept digging holes and dropping down, we’d stand out.”
Narcis‑san agreed with my reasoning.
“Because there’s also a communication blackout here. Still… huh? Leon, how did you get in touch?”
“...It’s a secret. You guys, load it up quickly!”
Chris started joyfully digging up more metal.
“Got it! Then we can bring back even more.”
Jilk did the same.
“Your Highness, may I borrow a shovel?”
“No way. I want to keep digging myself.”
They fought over the shovel.
Narcis‑san slumped his shoulders.
“…The kingdom’s adventurers are terrible.”
We’ll take every magic stone and metal here.
I boarded the small boat that had come down; it was unmanned but a memo was left inside.
I checked it and slipped it into my pocket.
◇
Academy.
While attending class, Lelia’s anxiety was growing.
Through her investigations she’d realized that detailed information about the kingdom hadn’t reached the Republic.
Because of its absolute confidence, the Republic shows little interest in other nations.
Lelia never thought the Republic would lose.
(What do I do? I don’t want the current balance to be upset. The suspicious ones are that unnoticeable guy and the short, slightly irritating girl. Those two are obviously shady.)
She’d only thought Leon was that unnoticeable guy.
She’d thought Marie’s gestures that appealed to guys were a bit annoying.
(I didn’t want to get involved with kingdom students.)
Lelia wanted to keep things as they were, so the sudden arrival of reincarnated exchange students was unexpected.
She was on guard but didn’t think they were deeply involved.
(Normally I wouldn’t aim for a reverse harem. Are they crazy?)
If you call it the law of this otome‑game world, the world’s crises just keep coming.
Lelia thought no idiot would try to break the original story with a reverse harem.
She was wildly wrong and only getting more frantic.
She wanted to talk soon, but the kingdom’s students hadn’t come to school since the Pierre incident.
Even if she went out, they were wary, and she didn’t know what they were doing.
Cremon, teaching, warned Lelia.
“Lelia‑chan, focus on the lesson.”
“Yes, sir!”
When Cremon resumed the lesson, a girl sitting next to her spoke up.
“What? Did you have a fight with your boyfriend?”
“No, that’s not it.”
She wouldn’t argue with Emil. Emil’s gentle, and if a fight happened she’d just back off.
She wasn’t that strong‑willed.
That’s why Lelia chose Emil.
(I need to make contact and tell them our situation quickly.)
Just then a teacher rushed into the classroom.
“Cremon‑sensei!”
“Oh? What’s the matter? It’s still class time.”
The flustered teacher hurried Cremon out of the room.
“It’s an emergency meeting. Hurry up.”
“Fine, everyone, self‑study until the next class. Make sure you read the textbook.”
When the teachers left, the students started murmuring.
“A meeting?”
“What happened?”
“That panic… wasn’t it weird? They could’ve waited until after class.”
Lelia felt a chill.
(No way…)
Could the exchange students be involved? That thought nagged her.
◇
Conference room.
I was looking at the sapling inside its case.
It glittered beautifully, but the case itself was a special one made for storing a holy tree sapling.
The staff, unaware of this, started lecturing me.
“Bartfort‑kun! Put the sapling on the table! What will you do if it falls?”
I smiled lazily.
“If it falls? It’s my property, so I’ll clean it up myself.”
“That’s not what I mean. If the sapling withers—”
“If it withers? Then it’s over, right?”
My claim stood firm.
The headmaster negotiated with me.
“What do you want? I’ll arrange what you wish for.”
I told the academy,
“Give me back my stuff. Tell that bastard to hand it over, and maybe I’ll consider handing this over too.”
The headmaster looked troubled.
“That’s… impossible. That airship already belongs to the Fevel family. We can’t interfere.”
I lifted the sapling again, letting the light hit it.
“If it’s impossible, then stop underestimating us. We’re the ones holding your treasure now. Think about that.”
The teachers, who couldn’t even look the six great nobles in the eye,
Narcis‑san said to me,
“…Sorry, but I don’t think the sapling can leave the country. The council would never allow it.”
We can’t take the treasure abroad, we all know that.
But,
“You stole my airship in a sneaky ambush, now you want to hand it over as if it’s nothing? Don’t get cocky. Bring the bigwigs here now, or bring Pierre’s scum to this room.”
Cremon‑sensei rose from his chair.
“Leon‑kun, what on earth are you thinking?”
“I’ll duel over the sapling. If I win, I’ll hand it over. But I’m betting my Einhorn and Alogantz… you have to give back what you stole.”
The headmaster warned,
“Diplomatic trouble. Are you planning to endanger the Holfart Kingdom?”
Absolute confidence.
No, it’s natural.
Even from my side, I don’t doubt the Republic’s victory. I’ll stay aggressive.
“You were the ones who started the fight. Bring Pierre’s scum. If that fails, the sapling will just die.”
The legendary holy tree sapling.
All the records confirm it’s definitely a holy tree.
“Don’t get it twisted. All you can do is call Pierre’s scum. Fine, set up a duel arena.”
The staff’s eyes were scary.
Do they think I’m a third‑rate noble?
…Exactly!
The Holfart Kingdom is definitely a third‑rate nation.
I guarantee it.
But just because I’m from such a nation doesn’t mean I should be looked down on.
I’m a man who hits back if I’m hit.
◇
A few hours later, a sour‑mood Pierre showed up.
After moving from the conference room to the sitting room, we waited for hours.
Pierre was even more sour than I was.
He stared at me, eyes twitching.
“Did you call me here? You don’t seem to know your place.”
I placed the case before him.
His eyes changed color.
“…The holy tree sapling. Real? Hey, you brat. Hand it over and I might forgive this whole mess.”
If the sapling is that valuable, maybe Pierre can’t do anything about it.
Either way, I’m not selling cheap.
“Talk nonsense after you’ve slept. You’ve been taken care of by Brad a lot, but don’t think you’ll get off free, you bastard.”
A vein popped on Pierre’s forehead.
A crest shone on the back of his right hand.
It was the holy tree crest.
The seven great—six great nobles’ absolute power comes from the holy tree’s blessing.
“Do you want to smash the sapling here?”
Using the sapling as a shield, even Pierre fell silent. No matter how tyrannical he is, the holy tree sapling stops him from using brute force.
He clicked his tongue.
“What do you want? I’ll never give my ship back.”
He already thinks it’s his.
How cute.
“Bet the stuff you stole from me in a duel.”
“Huh?”
“What's the matter? Are the big‑shot nobles scared of a third‑rate count’s duel? You’re no big deal either.”
Just a little taunt made Pierre’s face turn bright red.
His unhealthy pallor looked better than his angry one.
“…I’ll definitely kill you.”
Cremon‑sensei intervened.
“Hold it! Leon‑kun, do you even understand what a duel means in this case?”
I smiled thinly and kept provoking Pierre.
“Sure I do. If you look like you might die, I’ll go easy on you.”
An enraged Pierre did exactly what I wanted.
“I’ll crush your skull and send it flying to Holfart. Prepare yourself. A third‑rate nation like yours isn’t the enemy of Alzel.”
“Oh, scary, scary. So you’ll accept the duel then?”
Whether you take it or not, I don’t care.
Pick whichever you like.
“Fine. …I’ll take it. Hey, you disgusting one and Narcis. You’ll be the witnesses.”
Narcis‑san, who had been silent, sighed and began explaining.
“…Let’s decide the duel method. The academy will provide the venue. First, we need to confirm the conditions, but before that there’s an important question. Do we duel swearing on the holy tree?”
Pierre gave a grotesque grin.
“Of course, I can’t trust this guy.”
“No trust. I’m all about being serious. Do I have to swear too?”
Narcis‑san nodded.
“The Republic‑style duel is bound by a oath to the holy tree, making the agreement enforceable. What kind of duel do you want? If I’m present, I won’t allow either side to take an unfair oath.”
Pierre answered immediately.
“A duel using armor.”
He seemed unwilling to back down. Alogantz must have liked him… convenient.
So I set my condition.
“Alright… let’s forbid you from using the holy tree’s power.”
Pierre hesitated, then nodded.
“I don’t mind. The bet is: you have the sapling, I have what I stole from you, right?”
“Exactly. You must return it to me. Bring it to me, every single time. All of the Einhorn… everything inside it. If I win, give it all back to me.”
I had to state it clearly.
“Say that after you win. But with that, I’ll get the holy tree sapling. I can even snatch the head of the family from my brother.”
He was already thinking about post‑victory.
…Just enjoy it while it lasts.
Narcis‑san confirmed the conditions and said to us,
“Then, both of you, swear the oath to the holy tree.”
When Pierre’s right palm glowed, a magic circle appeared beneath us. It was the same crest we saw when Marie’s group summoned it.
“Swear to the holy tree.”
I smiled back,
“Swear to the holy tree.”
I held back my nerves, watching the worried Narcis‑san and Cremon‑sensei.
◇
Holy Tree Temple.
Young head of house Fernand was working in his office.
When he heard the report, he stood up, and the pile of documents on his desk toppled.
“The holy tree sapling has been found!”
The attendant who brought the report rushed in, panting.
“Yes, sir! The exchange student Leon Fou Bartfort, Count, discovered it in the dungeon. He claims ownership and says he’ll duel if we want it.”
“A duel?”
“Count Pierre of the Fevel family wants a duel.”
Fernand slammed his fist on the desk.
“That kid!”
He was speaking about Pierre.
Fernand pulled the report Leon had submitted from the desk.
It said that a single ship had repelled the entire Principality’s fleet, leading the fleet to victory from a critical situation.
(He won’t even write this far in the story.)
The reporter even added a note: “These are facts. It’s true!”
A clearly false report.
No one would believe it.
But if a Lost Item made it possible…
(It’s said the Principality lost its Lost Items in the war, but there might still be hidden ones. What the hell is that Fevel brat doing?)
“…So the duel means you want the airship back?”
“Yes. The airship, and also the armor.”
The Fevel airship and armor are top‑tier, enough to make the Fevels cocky.
Normally you wouldn’t gamble with such things, but the holy tree sapling changes everything.
The nobles are practically drooling for the sapling.
“If you just make a fair trade, that’d be fine. Stop doing unnecessary things.”
Seeing the attendant’s distress, Fernand said,
“I’ll go to the academy as well. Prepare the ship.”
“Yes!”
And so Fernand headed toward the academy.