28 Alice's worries

While Noir was busy training his skills within the earthquake room, Alice was seen standing impatiently at the back of the school's courtyard with her arms crossed and finger tapping her arm as she waited for someone. Lessons were about to start, yet she had to deal with an annoying letter she received the day before and the person who wrote it wasn't even present!

'And why does it have to be a confession? My heart belongs to my brother only!'

During her time at Jastals preparatory school, Alice was considered the beautiful genius of the baronet class. Effortlessly getting the highest grades possible, excelling in physical activities and even lending a hand to everyone regardless of their status or background. If she had the talent for magic then she would be almost peerless in her class.

It was thanks to this that she became popular among the Baron boys, much to her discontent, with her fanbase even extending to the sons of Earls. However, the one major red flag she had was her obsessiveness towards her brother.

'I thought I made it clear by now but there are still idiots who can't come to terms with reality!'

Since coming to the school, she's made an effort that her only interest is her brother, but the nobles would see that as a way to use him to get closer to her. Some of them would even challenge him, thinking that would make Alice interested in them, but instead made her angry and she hasn't forgiven them to this day.

It's thanks to those crazy fans that she had to end their walk briefly just in case some of the stupid fans tried pulling the same stunt again.

"Miss Alice..." Just as she was deciding whether to leave or not, she heard a nervous voice. It was a young man that she knew. He had blonde hair and blue eyes and was wearing the school's uniform that was similar to what Alice wore. He wasn't too tall for his age, but was taller than her and had a bright red face.

'Oh boy, here we go again.' Her face was painted with a fake smile as she watched the predictable scene for the umpteenth time. As for the young man who couldn't read her thoughts, he inhaled deeply before clenching his fist and shouting with all his might.

"Would you like to go out with me!?!"

He made a slight bow as a bouquet of roses suddenly appeared in his hands. When she glanced at his hands, she saw a ring with a silver gem on it. It was a magic item, one that only the filthy rich could own. Most girls would fawn over something like that, and although Alice did find the item useful, she wasn't moved by it or the confession.

In contrast to his expectations, it made her lips twitch slightly, but fortunately, he didn't notice it as he was still worried about her answer. Part of Alice couldn't believe the fool in front of her shouted the confession without consideration for the nearby nobles and what sort of position she would find herself in as a result of it.

'Great, now they're going to gather like flies. Couldn't you have at least done it discreetly?' It was hard to keep her lips from twitching or not to show her thoughts on her face, knowing that a lot of the loose-mouthed nobles were going to gossip about the confession. Especially since he was a viscount's son.

But because he was a noble, she had to be civilised as she performed a slight bow and rejected his confession, "Thank you for your words, Mr Roland, but I am sorry to waste your time. I have someone I like."

It was standard etiquette for rejection, which she hated so once she completed the bow, she straightened up her posture immediately and left without waiting for the other party's response.

After all, if she stays any longer, she could miss out on receiving the attendance bonus, which is a little party that the school hosts for those who qualify. Delicious food and events, usually a movie, are available, and they can bring someone else with them along too.

'I want to bring big brother with me when that finally happens and we can have fun together.'

She'd tried asking Noir to take her to these kinds of parties in the past, but he would never have perfect attendance. He was never comfortable with those kinds of social events so it was probably intentional.

"Ah, wait…!"

It took a moment for the blonde youth to recover from the initial shock of the rejection before he unconsciously reached out to grab Alice's arm to stop her from leaving. He wasn't satisfied with the answer and wanted to convince her to think otherwise or to give him a chance.

But when he was about to grab her, Alice turned around and was ready to swat it away, until something grabbed Roland's arm instead.

"Wha-?" When he turned to see what it was, he saw his friends and classmates. The person holding his arm looked at him with tears in his eyes.

"Welcome to the club! The goddess doesn't seek our desires." While grabbing his arm with some force, the boy shed a small tear before hugging his friend as he welcomed him into their made-up club, leaving him in a state of confusion.

"Oh no buddy, looks like you got rejected!"

"Another one bites the dust, huh...?"

"Looks like I won the bet."

They each gave him comfort and distracted him enough for Alice to leave the scene quietly. It was the unwritten rule in the club to take rejection in stride and never get physical.

Whether it was an arm grab or holding her hands, such actions would be punishable under their laws. As such, Roland was unaware of what they were going to do with him later.

'What a bunch of crazy people.'

And while they were up to their crazy antics, Alice took a deep exhale as she began rubbing her temples once the coast was clear.

'Great, now there's going to be more gossip.'

Every time she rejected someone, she always became the topic of conversation among girls, particularly girls who had a crush on the person she turned down. Some would be happy that she rejected them since they would see it as a chance to win their heart.

However, others would be offended that the person they had their eyes on picked her over them and would try to make her feel bad or dehumanise her as a form of pettiness.

'I seriously don't understand how they think something like that would work. If anything, it shows that you're stupidly toxic.'

Though she couldn't blame them to an extent since she gets jealous of the girls who talk to Noir, but she wouldn't hurt them or get in their way. At least not now after her talk with Noir.

'Let's just be as quiet as possible today. I don't remember if Roland's fans are in my class or not,' While thinking about who she should be careful about talking to today, Alice walked to her classroom.

It wasn't like she talked to anyone in her class. Most nobles don't like to associate with those who don't meet their requirements. Even with her grades being at the top of her class, they still wouldn't lower themselves to befriend a lesser noble.

But fortunately, they couldn't do too much to her since she was protected by the scholarly program that one of the monarchs hosts. If they tried messing with her by using their status to coerce a teacher into giving her a difficult time, then both the teacher and the student would get heavily reprimanded and in some cases could even lose their status for it, which is why she isn't too worried, but still doesn't make her immune to everything.

"Look, I heard that..."

"Really? Again?"

"Nooo! My Roland!"

As she was walking through the corridors, she could hear the whispers of the noble girls talking. It was already the fifth rejection she had made in the past two months and each time she couldn't get used to everyone's stares and words.

'Goddamn noisy nobles."

For now, she could only endure their gossip. Just like how news spreads fast, it's forgotten just as quickly. But even so, it was still annoying to deal with a new pack of haters.

'I just want school to end and embrace big brother again. I'm bored.' She sighed as she walked into her class and could immediately feel most of the girls' attention on her. Some of them were condescending, and others were negative, but she didn't let them bother her as she walked straight to her desk.

She knew that if she tried anything then they would all gang up on her, but if she did nothing then eventually one of the new haters would try picking a fight with her, which was a lot more manageable than dealing with a whole class alone.

"Oh, if it isn't the ED daughter of a commoner.' And not before long, while she was still getting her pencil case out, the first of the haters appeared, who was a red-haired noble.

"Getting ready for another lonely day I see."

She had bright red hair that fell down her back in a wild, untamed mane. Her eyes were a striking green-yellow colour, almost like the glow of a cat's eyes in the dark. She has a lean, athletic build and moves with the precision and grace of a trained warrior.

She is dressed in a black and white uniform, which consists of a form-fitting bodysuit with a flowing white cape and black boots. At her waist is a sheathed katana, a traditional Japanese sword.

Alice knew her because she was usually the only one who took Phys Ed seriously. However, she couldn't recall much about her other than her name, which was Rebecca Sandoval and that she had the same rank as Roland, a viscount.

'Ah, they might've been childhood friends. Guess that's why she's upset.'

Thinking about childhood friends immediately made her think about Noir and Emma which made Alice smile a little seeing the duality of friendships. It seems like she's caused a bit of a problem in their relationship which is why she's bothering Alice, even though they were on neutral terms before.

Although a part of her wanted to slap her after what she said about her father, she held herself back as she faked another smile. The only way to beat a noble is with words instead of violence.

"If it isn't the refined lady who soiled her undergarments during a friendly duet. I see you have yet to prepare yourself for such a fine day of learning."

She smiled, using the techniques her mother taught her since she was a child, as people in the background snickered at her sharp retort. The art of slander with a smile. It's her one weapon against nobles who tend to use words over their own fists.

And fortunately for her, she has a lot of dirt on the things that the girls have done, whether public or not. It's her way of dealing with the haters that seem to appear twice a month.

"Ugh, don't think you can get away with slandering me."

When Alice brought up her humiliation from a different time, the red-headed girl unconsciously released mana in anger, but Alice remained unaffected as her smile deepened.

"What could you mean? I thought that was how we ladies communicate with one another."

While opening her book to the previous day's page, she simply replied. After having an irritating morning, she was pleased with herself for getting the other person so upset. It was like honey to her ears.

As for the Viscount girl, she was seething in rage until she stopped when she met the sharp gaze of someone who was watching their debacle.

"Hmpf, just watch during afternoon practice."

With one final remark, she left and returned back to her seat. Looking where the redhead was looking, it was someone with long, sleek silver hair that fell down her back in a straight, shiny curtain. Her eyes are a deep, mesmerizing blue that seems to gleam with intelligence and mystery. She has a slender, graceful figure and holds herself with an elegant, regal bearing.

She was wearing a modified version of what Alice wore, with a preference for Victorian-styled dresses with lace and frills, or a Gothic lolita outfit as some would say. She seemed to have a love for dark and mysterious things, and is often seen with a sombre expression on her face.

Although her fashion seemed unusual among the nobility, she was in fact the youngest princess of Freesia.

'Heh, looks like I got saved by the bell, huh?'

Alice nodded her head as the princess did the same. Despite never speaking, Alice figured out the princess' personality.

She wouldn't go out of her way to talk to anyone in her class unless necessary, but she didn't like it when there were disruptions in classes or if there were meaningless fights. It was thanks to her that she unintentionally saved Alice from a couple of sticky situations.

Now that things were over, and the other girls didn't seem to want to get on the princesses' bad side, Alice was finally able to relax as she finally put her bag down.

"A-Alice."

And when she did, she heard a familiar voice as she looked up to see her best friend, Nicole Bertrum, a daughter of an Earl.

"What's up, Nicky?"

She's a person of medium height with long, bluish-purple hair that falls down her back in a smooth, glossy cascade. Her eyes are the same colour as her hair and are framed by a set of bangs that hang down and partially cover her face. She has pale skin and a small mole next to her mouth, which gives her a delicate, almost ethereal appearance.

She was a shy and introverted person, and is often seen with her head down and her eyes cast downward. Despite her reserved demeanour, she has a kind and caring heart and is always willing to lend a helping hand to those in need. She has an average body build and is not particularly athletic, but she is graceful and moves with a certain elegance.

Overall, she is a sweet and gentle soul who is a bit reserved and timid, but is also caring and empathetic towards others, which is why she was worried about Alice.

"B-by any chance did you walk with your b-brother today?"

Alice furrowed her eyebrows as she questioned why she mentioned her brother. Usually, she was sick of hearing her talk about him so this was a different change of pace.

"Yup, we had a nice walk before he had to leave for work." She said with a natural smile on her face unlike when she was dealing with Rebecca, "Why? What's with the conflicted look?"

"N-no reason."

"Come on, tell me. What's up?"

It was obvious to her that something was wrong. She and Nicole have known each other for more than a couple of years now. Nicole's shyness is part of the reason they get along so well despite their differing ranks. Thanks to that, Alice was usually able to pick up whenever something was bothering her.

Nicole looked a little conflicted about whether she should say anything or not until she sighed.

"Umm… I think I saw…" She leaned into her ear and spoke in a tone only Alice could hear, "I think I saw your brother with someone else... In that 'park forest'... I'm pretty sure it was his mana signature..."

"Huh?"

A part of her was shocked but she quickly pulled her ear away from Nicole and looked at her with confusion until she quickly remembered Noir was in a relationship with Emma too. The 'park forest' she referred to was a notorious forest where noble girls would take their lovers and do their deeds out of sight.

That is unless you're dealing with someone who has the unique ability to see the flow of mana. It was Nicole's main skill, but she had poor control over it as she would randomly activate it when she didn't want it to activate, which is why she covered them under her bangs.

Since it was coming from her mouth, Alice knew she wasn't lying but she had to be certain.

"When was this?"

"A few days ago…"

Hearing that, she felt like it was likely them so she pressed further.

"Oh wait, was it with a blonde girl?"

Nicole thought for a moment with her finger to her cheeks as she tilted her head before replying.

"Y-yeah."

Although she knew it was Emma's signature in an instant, she was worried about mentioning it. She knew that she would feel heartbreak if she did, but the other part of her felt guilty about keeping Alice in the dark, so she told her the truth.

"Oh, then it's fine."

But instead of Alice getting hot-headed, she took a sigh of relief before looking up with regretful eyes.

'I'm glad it wasn't anyone I didn't know... but I wanted us to share our first time together...'

She was slightly jealous that Noir did it with Emma before her, but she didn't complain too much since she quickly remembered that they have way more chances to do it than Emma can. She didn't want to be outdone by Emma for taking the initiative after all. Not to mention she's been thinking about doing this and that with Noir for years now!

"W-what?!"

But while Alice was ready to give her all to Noir later today, Nicole jumped in surprise before realising she had made too much noise before sitting back down.

'I thought she would cry? What happened?'

Just like Alice knew when she was bothered, Nicole could tell whenever Alice was bothered by the people who were around Noir. She experienced it firsthand when she first spoke to him. At the time she felt Alice's stares were becoming physical manifestations, which is why she never tried speaking to him again and even going as far as to avoid any coincidental meetings just in case.

And now the jealous little sister was fine with her crush doing it with someone else? Something was up as she leaned in to question her.

"D-did something h-happen?"

"I can't go into too much detail but my brother's situation needs him to have a harem."

Alice watched as Nicole's eyes widened from under her bangs as she failed to make any coherent words.

'A harem? Why?'

He was barely a noble but even then, harems were something that high nobles or strong adventurers do. Did he somehow become an A-rank adventurer in the half year she didn't see him?

"A-and you're fine with that?"

But before that, she had to ask her best friend how she was feeling. Even if it's the person she loves, she has to make sure Alice is safe and happy before all else.

"At first I wasn't but it's not bad. Big brother cares a lot about us and I just want to do the thing that makes him happy."

Alice smiled peacefully as she covered her hands with Nicole's. She adapted to it quickly thanks to his words about the demon king. The reason being was her desire for Noir to survive was stronger than her desire to keep him by herself, which is why she forced herself to allow it, especially since she was able to enter. Otherwise, she didn't know if it was possible.

"Wow…" Seeing her seem calmer than usual about her brother, Nicole thought it was something bad but seeing it up close, maybe it was a good thing. She felt bad after thinking about it.

"You've changed Alice… I'm kind of jealous."

Alice was able to do something that others would think would be impossible, but she remained the same.

"Why's that?"

"I don't have the confidence to do something like that."

If she was in Alice's position, she wouldn't know if she would be able to do the same. Even if she didn't accept the terms, she would be too scared to talk back. She was too afraid of disappointing the other person. As such, she looks up to Alice, someone who always bargains with someone else, no matter how disparate their ranks may be.

"What would you like to do?"

"I don't know…"

Alice was aware that Nicole respected her for her strengths, and while she did like it, she wanted to help her friend build up some confidence. If she just tidied up her hair a little, it would be a major confidence booster.

"Then let's try something."

Instead of suggesting that since she knew her situation, she wanted to try something.

"W-what do you have in mind?" For some reason, she had a bad feeling about what Alice was going to suggest.

"Why not join us?"

"Ha-wha?"

And like she thought, she was right as her face turned bright red. She's never been in a relationship and her family has never forced her to be in one so Nicole was as innocent as they come.

"Hehe, we could become sister wives."

As for Alice, she thought it was amusing to picture a scene where the two of them lived together and had fun. And then when the scene shifted to her and Noir… Alice felt jealous again before quickly sighing once she realised she was jealous again.

It was hard not to be jealous or pretend to be fine with it all, but she didn't let it show on her face. Too bad that Nicole could sense Alice's disturbance.

"D-did you hit your head?"

She never would have expected her friend to say that. She was waiting for her to say 'it was just a joke' and for them to laugh it off but it didn't happen

"Nope, same old same old."

Alice knocked on her head a few times to convey that she was still the same, even though she might seem strange.

"Give yourself some time to think about it. If you want, you could meet my brother and see how it works out? I think he could help you out with your eyes too."

Part of the reason she wanted the two of them to meet again was so she could get rid of the problems in her eyes, and the other was so Noir could have another member of his harem.

She figured if the three of them were to join forces, then they would make a good team.

"The invitation is always open."

She winked as she turned to see the teacher enter. Seeing as the time was up, she wanted her to think about it even if it was only for a moment.

"I-I'll t-think about it."

With a red face that looked like steam would come out of her face, she looked away as she sat at her desk.

'What happened to her? I don't know if it's a good thing or not.'

Nicole was confused and embarrassed. She didn't know what to do or think about the weird change Alice went through, but she wanted to know what made her change. If it was Noir, what did he do to her?

'Haha, she's so cute. This should help big brother, right?'

While she did like teasing Nicole, she suggested it mainly because of her fear of Noir having to fight demons. Even if she tried to discourage him from enrolling in the Hero Academy, he had never been adamant about doing anything before now. She doesn't want to break his heart by being a barrier to it.

The only thing she could do was try her best to support him by growing stronger and recruiting people she liked to be part of his harem. Getting her mother wouldn't stop her, but there were other people who she thought would complement Noir or were "safe" bets.

It did hurt her when she thought about sharing her beloved, but if Emma was able to get over it, so would she.

>\/<

"AAAAAAGGGGGHHHH!"

And while Alice was having a mental battle about her choices, Noir was nearing his physical limits.

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