Betrothed to My Sister's Ex

"—So why do I have to be dragged out here as a coachman?"

Lord Ruifeng said that while handling the reins from the driver's seat of the war chariot.

His usually cool voice was trembling a little from the vibration.

They were about three days north of Dilz Royal Capital, and then another half-day's ride from the northernmost post town. Because they had gone so far beyond where people lived, even the carriage road had broken off, and they were crossing a barren plain. Naturally, the road was terrible. Even the steel war chariot, built to travel rough terrain, couldn't absorb all of the shaking.

As the chariot rocked up and down, Lord Cyrus answered.

"I didn't ask you to come. I just wanted to borrow the war chariot's power for this rough road."

"You say 'borrow' like I could just lend it to you. The chariot belongs to the knights order, and Ringo-maru is my beloved horse."

"Exactly. That's why you're just an extra. Once we get past the rough road, we won't need you anymore."

"Wasn't the final destination that isolated island floating on a lake? How do you plan to get there?"

"There's a regular ferry from the town ahead of us. We can't take the carriage on it, of course, but from the dock to the duke's mansion, it should be just a short walk."

When I said that, Lord Ruifeng snorted, sounding somehow displeased.

"Oh, I see. Then I'll wait in the town ahead. If you get captured by the Duke of Dutchman and locked up, don't blame me. I'm leaving you behind the next day."

"Wait three days. Or rather, if we don't come back, contact his majesty the king."

"You should ask me to save you before that."

"I'd rather die."

As he said that, Lord Cyrus tossed the apple he had been holding. It flew through the window connected to the driver's seat and landed with Lord Ruifeng. It probably wasn't meant as payment, though.

Lord Ruifeng took the apple and threw it right back without even taking a bite.

"By the way, what happened to your usual maid and butler?"

"Both of them are away. Mio left some time ago and hasn't come back since, and Wolfgang can't leave the castle in her place."

"...Even so, do you really have to go yourselves? That map and the message asking for help were sent by your enemy, weren't they?"

His tone was blunt, but there was a faint trace of worry in his voice. Lord Ruifeng was worried about Lord Cyrus and me. He always acted so carefree, and he was always arguing with Lord Cyrus, but the two of them were longtime friends.

Lord Cyrus must have felt that too, because he scratched the back of his head with a slightly embarrassed, awkward expression.

"We're not storming an enemy hideout. We're paying a visit to the Duke of Dutchman. He's the noble family ruling Ildanaf Island."

"And that noble family could still be the enemy's accomplice, couldn't they?"

"Ah, Lord Ruifeng, we've done our own research as well."

I stepped between them and explained.

"The Duke of Dutchman family has definitely invested in many powerful merchant houses within Oracle Kingdom. It's also highly likely they're involved with one of the merchant houses in Hadwell."

"So it really is suspicious."

"Yes, but it's believed that the current head of the family won't do anything violent. It's only a rumor, though... Apparently the head of the family is a great 'pacifist'."

"A pa-ci-fist?"

The way Lord Ruifeng repeated it sounded more dubious than ever. Even the face he turned back over his shoulder looked like he'd just seen the shadiest thing imaginable.

"What is that supposed to mean? A policy of welcoming business rivals into his home with tea, politely asking them to come in, spilling the family secrets, and even giving them souvenirs on the way out?"

"N-no, not that far. Well, I don't know about souvenirs, but... um... they say he's extremely conservative. In business and in politics."

Lord Cyrus picked up my explanation.

"He hates war."

At those words, Lord Ruifeng's expression darkened.

—"Hates war."

That was a way of thinking spreading throughout the world, including among us Dilz citizens.