.
At the time when Leon went home temporarily.
Marie was trembling in anger at the mansion.
Creare who was watching her from nearby was terribly amused.
『Not having any learning ability is really pitiful isn’t it!』
Marie’s breathing was roughening in contrast with Creare who was cackling.
Her shoulders were heaving up and down. Her opened eyes looked bloodshot.
Kyle(カイル) and Cara who were standing at both her sides were trying to calm her down somehow.
「G-goshujin-sama, it’ll be alright I say! Thanks to half of the money being hidden this time, that portion is still safe!」
Kyle was doing his best to console Marie, but there was no visible result.
Marie was staring on the table.
Her household account book was used in the place of a memo there with a message that was addressed to her.
『We’re repenting for our fault last time and so this time we will prepare a present that will make Marie happy. Let us use a little bit of the living expense as the budget. Look forward to it.』
Such utter nonsense was written in the book.
Blood veins popped out on Marie’s forehead.
Her hands were clenched so hard that there were creaking sounds coming from them.
Cara spoke to Marie while sounding like she was going to cry.
「It’s alright Marie-sama! This time we have also stocked up the food supply beforehand!」
She meant that even if they became penniless, they would be able to ration out and survive on that supply until Leon returned.
But Marie couldn’t endure it anymore.
「I──already said to them.」
Kyle and Cara averted their gazes from Marie.
Before──the five idiots evenly split their living expense between them and went gallivanting around. But naturally they got scolded by Marie when they returned.
She firmly scolded them.
And yet even though she had told them that it was no good to use up their living expense, those five still didn’t understand anything.
Marie too wasn’t an idiot.
She secretly hid half of the additional living expense that she received from Leon.
Of course, she also hid the remaining half so those five wouldn’t be able to find it.
And yet those five thought that it was stupid of them to gallivant around while leaving Marie alone──and arrived at completely the wrong conclusion instead.
「I had explained to them in detail. This money, it’s a really important money for our life here in Alzer, so don’t use it as you please. I said that to them!」
When Marie turned around and looked at Kyle and Cara, the two of them straightened their backs and replied.
「Goshujin-sama have certainly said that!」
「I-I also had definitely heard that being said!」
The two of them trembled after seeing Marie’s enraged face.
Creare was enjoying this situation because she wasn’t involved in it.
It seemed she wanted to know what Marie would do after this.
And then in a good or perhaps bad timing──Julius and others returned.
They could hear cheerful voices from the entrance.
「Marie too will be happy with this.」
「I think there should be something even better for Marie-san though.」
They heard Julius and Jilk’s voice, so Marie expressionlessly exited the room.
Kyle and Cara looked at each other once before they shook their head to each other.
They quietly followed behind Marie.
When they reached the entrance, Brad waved his hand.
「Ah, everyone is here. Look, this is our present for Marie!」
The five were carrying a lot of flower bouquets.
The entrance was filled with the scent of flowers, but the amount was too much that it smelled slightly uncomfortable.
If the amount of bouquets was limited to what the five of them could carry with their hands, then even with Marie’s anger she would blush and forgive them in the end.
However, the amount that the five of them had prepared was too many.
Chris was giving instruction to the worker who kept bringing in flowers and placing them inside the mansion.
「Place that bouquet over here. I think the vase will look good if placed here.」
They were lining up flowers of various kinds.
With this amount they could open their own flower shop.
Greg rubbed the skin under his nose with an embarrassed look.
「As expected it should be flower when it come to present. When we thought about what flower is appropriate for Marie, it ended up reaching this amount and varieties.」
Marie’s expression didn’t return even after hearing that.
Nothingness, that was how her expression was right now.
Cara covered her face with both her hands.
「Why did everyone take away the living expense!?」
The five looked puzzled toward Cara’s criticism.
Julius made a troubled look.
「No, we only borrowed a little of it. Besides it will immediately get replenished again right?」
The amount of living expense that Marie received from Leon was a lot.
Julius’s money sense that enabled him to declare that such amount was little wasn’t strange.
After all Julius and the other four were heirs of the royal family and high class nobles.
Their money sense and way of thinking was different from Marie and others from the beginning.
A lot of money for Marie was just like a chump change if seen from the perspective of these five.
They thought that such amount could be immediately replenished again somehow.
Jilk warned Julius.
「That’s why I told you your highness. Something like flower bouquets are too cheap. As I thought, the vase that I picked up was better.」
「You said that, but that vase was just gaudy.」
It seemed the worker had finished bringing in all the flowers and left. Then the five seriously pondered in front of Marie just what was wrong.
Marie──was gradually smiling. Kyle muttered when he saw that smile.
「──That’s the same smile like the count.」
By count he meant Leon.
Marie who was making the same smiling face like that Leon went down the stairs and approached the five.
Brad looked at Marie’s face and felt relieved.
「Look, Marie is also happy with the present!」
Chris also looked delighted.
「It’s worth it for all of us to choose the present.」
Greg also agreed.
「It’s frustrating that we could only gather this few though. Well, I guess we can just buy more when the money is replenished again next time. More importantly Marie, I’m hungry so let’s eat.」
Marie opened her mouth seeing Greg giving her a thumb up.
「I’m sorry everyone. I was wrong.」
Marie apologized to the five of them.
But──.
「I am really an idiot. If the five of you could be corrected just from getting scolded, then there is no way we would go through so much hardships until now.」
──The smile vanished from Marie’s face.
Marie clenched her right hand.
「I was naïve. I need to do at least this much in order to educate you lot!」
Marie took a large stride and punched the cheek of a surprised Greg so hard he was sent flying.
Greg crashed on the entrance’s door and it was violently thrown open.
Greg’s body rolled outside and he didn’t wake up. It looked like he had fainted.
It was an impossible feat for the physical ability of Marie’s petite body.
However this was a world with magic.
Marie who strengthened her body with magic power could unleash a punch to send a large adult flying.
Jilk hurriedly approached Marie to stop her after he saw Greg was sent flying.
「Marie-san, just what are you──guheh!」
Marie drove her fist onto Jilk’s handsome face to vent her anger once more.
「You guys, line up! I’ll give you one punch each!」
Chris tried to hold Marie down.
「Marie isn’t in her right mind! Everyone, pin her──fugoh!」
Marie drove her fist to Crhis’s stomach and sent him flying out of the entrance. Then she looked at Julius and Brad.
Fuu, fuu, Marie breathed hard. She was really agitated without showing any sign of stopping with the two.
Brad tried persuading her.
「As I thought the flowers are too cheap. I understand. Marie──today I’ll present myse──lfffff!!」
Brad smiled at Marie and showed his shiny white teeth. And then his cheek was punched and he was sent flying while spinning in the air to outside the entrance.
Marie slowly approached Julius while his mouth was staying open in shock.
「Julius. You’re the only one remaining.」
「W-wait a second Marie! Just what have we done wrong!? Explain it so that even we can understand!」
Marie smiled──a creepy smile and cracked her fists.
「It’s because you don’t understand──that I’m kicking you all out!」
「K-kicking us out──fugyah!」
Marie’s fist caught Julius’s jaw and he was sent flying to outside the entrance.
After the five of them were sent out of the mansion, Marie stood imposingly in front of the door.
「This is a good chance, so I shall test you guys.」
Brad pressed his hand on his cheek with a troubled expression.
「No, I don’t know what are you going to test us with but to suddenly act violent──」
But Marie didn’t lend him her ear at all.
「What you guys are lacking is the ability to earn a living, resourcefulness! During this one month of summer vacation, all of you have to go out there to earn money!」
Jilk was troubled by what Marie told them.
「E-err, Marie-san? Even if you tell us to earn money outside──what should we do? Is there any job for us to do?」
「Search for that job by yourself. I’ll tell you all this, I won’t recognize it if your earning come from doing adventurer work. You guys should learn a bit about the society other than being an adventurer.」
The five was bewildered that they were told to search for job. Marie snorted scornfully at them.
The five could earn money by being adventurer, but the more money they earned the more money they spent──no, these guys, they spent money wastefully more than they earned.
This was also a good chance for them to learn about the reality of society, so Marie forbid them to earn money as adventurer.
「I don’t care if it’s part time job or whatever, anyway go earn money by yourself. It’ll be better for you guys to learn a bit about society. Ah, one more thing, the man I prefer is a man with resourcefulness. Do you guys understand what does that mean? I wonder who among you five will earn the most money. I’m looking forward to it.」
Marie’s preference was a man with resourcefulness.
The five looked at each other after they heard that.
Their faces were the very picture of seriousness. It was like they were looking at each other as enemies.
Marie showed a bewitching smile in front of the five.
「The time period is one month. Come back before the summer vacation is over. Ah, that’s right. It’s fine even if you give up in the middle and return home. But, if you really love me──you will be able to accomplish at least this much right?」
.
At the mansion after the five idiots left.
Kyle and Cara could be found repairing the door.
Cara was worried for the five who got driven out.
「Will his highness and the others be fine?」
Marie too wasn’t a demon.
She had given the five some money that could be used to live for one week.
But would those five really be able to earn money?
Cara doubted that.
They were formerly high ranked and rich nobles.
They never did anything like part-time work, in the first place it was also doubtful whether they would be able to live alone.
Kyle sighed.
「They’ll return when they get hungry. More importantly, it’s Goshujin-sama. She induced those five to compete with each other wasn’t she? Even though it would be better if those five at least work together.」
Cara spoke to represent Marie’s feeling in respond to Kyle’s doubt.
「But──to have multiple men fighting for your favor, I think it will make any woman feel good.」
Cara said that with a blushing face. Kyle tilted his head seeing her like that.
「Is it something like that? Well, as for me I won’t have any complain if those five can quickly open their eyes to reality and return back though.」
They had finished the repair so they began to tidy up the tools. Marie came there at that timing.
Her face looked refreshed after she was liberated from the five idiots.
「It looks like you two has finished the repair. Then you two better fix your appearance right away! Today the three of us will eat out!」
Cara was shocked to hear that they would eat outside.
She became worried whether it was alright for them to act extravagantly like that.
「But Marie-sama, the money──」
「It’s fine! Those five won’t come back for a while, so we have some leftover with the living expense! Just forget about it, sometimes I also need to reward you two for your hard work every day. Eat a lot today.」
Kyle rejoiced when he heard that.
「I-is it really alright!? I’m going to order meat you know?」
Marie put her hands on her waist and threw out her chest.
「Order them. I don’t mind even if you eat a kilogram of meat.」
Cara raised her right hand straight above.
「Marie-sama, a question!」
「What could it be, Cara?」
「Desert──what about desert!?」
Marie showed a really nice smile in front of the two.
A drop of tear trickled down her face.
It seemed she was really happy to be liberated from the five idiots.
「Eat a lot today. We have also finished cleaning up the mansion, so when we return home we’ll only need to take a bath and sleep. You two──we’re going to party today!」
Going out to eat with just the three of them──the three of them reflected upon just how happy of an event it was.
.
Meanwhile.
The five idiots who were driven out from the mansion came to a public park.
While children were playing at the surrounding area, the five were facing each other seriously.
Jilk was the first one to open his mouth.
「Marie-san said it. That she love the most resourceful man.」
That meant, Marie would decide who was the number one among the five of them.
Chris pushed up his glasses with his index finger to fix its positioning while glaring at his surrounding.
「That meant it will be about who among us five can earn the most money.」
The five of them had never earned money in a normal way, but it was a different story if doing that could make them into Marie’s number one.
Usually the five of them got along well with each other but, as expected if there was a chance for them to be number one──they wanted to take it.
Greg folded his arms.
「We won’t be able to earn money as adventurer but, I’m not gonna go easy on you guys. Sorry you lot──Marie’s number one is gonna be me.」
The five were fired up. They didn’t want to lose in this match.
They didn’t even have any complain that they were driven out from the mansion. The important thing right now was who would become Marie’s number one.
The five of them were rivals since the moment they were chased out of the mansion.
Brad flicked his front hair.
「This is a problem that we have to settle sooner or later. Forgive me, but I’m the one who Marie will choose.」
Even with how close they were, they were still always feeling concerned of who among the five of them would be able to win Marie’s heart.
This was a good chance for them. They decided to settle this with this match.
Julius looked at the other four and placed his hand on his chest.
「I’ll win against all of you in a fair and square match! And then, I’ll sit at Marie’s side.」
The five glared seriously before they turned their back against each other simultaneously.
Each of them started walking to a different direction.
Jilk said.
「I’ll be the winner.」
Brad also called out to the other four who were leaving.
「I’ll be the one Marie choose.」
Greg also didn’t have any intention to back down.
「You guys can howl as loud as you like. The winner──is gonna be me!」
Chris also had no intention of losing.
「It’s our destiny to decide the winner one day. That’s all.」
Julius was the last one to spoke to the other four.
「I’m looking forward to our next meeting.」
The five idiots parted.
The children who were watching that saw them off open-mouthed.
.
It was nice and all that they parted with each other stylishly but──Julius was troubled.
「I, I don’t have money.」
He was staying in a cheap hotel. He was counting his money on top of the bed. There were only small changes there.
「Shit-! I used up too much money at the first day to fire up myself.」
He ran out of money at the third day.
The amount of his money had decreased drastically. When he searched for an inn where he could stay──he was introduced to this cheap inn.
「Even so this place is really terrible. It’s like a stable.」
Julius expressed a rude impression about this cheap inn, but that was his honest impression.
From the perspective of former crown prince like Julius, a cheap inn was a dirty place that he didn’t want to use.
Julius sat cross-legged on the bed and folded his arms in deep thinking.
「However, this is troubling. No place will hire me. Even though I should have shown them the proof of my status.」
Julius also wasn’t simply playing around in these three days.
He properly looked for job offer and attended the job interview.
And yet he got refused everywhere.
「Just what is the problem?」
If he couldn’t find any work, then he wouldn’t be able to stay even in a cheap inn like this tomorrow.
Julius had suddenly stumbled with his effort from the start.
「But, everyone too must be going through the same difficulty like me. I won’t be able to forgive myself if I become the only one who returns to the mansion in disgrace.」
The other four were surely experiencing the same hardship like him.
Julius believed that and held a great expectation for tomorrow.
.
The next day.
Julius walked toward a restaurant that was recruiting help.
He boldly advertised himself in front of the troubled restaurant manager.
「I came from Hohlfahrt Kingdom. My name is Julius Rafa Hohlfahrt. Right now I’ve been disinherited, but I was formerly the crown prince.」
He talked without even hiding his embarrassing past.
It was because he thought to proof his sincerity.
Getting disinherited was something dishonorable.
However he also couldn’t bring himself to lie to someone who would hire him.
That was why he introduced himself like this.
「I came to study abroad in this Alzer. Right now I’m in the middle of learning about society. So please, I ask you to hire me here!」
Julius pleaded earnestly. In respond the manager shook his head.
「I can’t.」
「W-why!? If you want to ascertain my identity, then I don’t mind even if you enquire the embassy of Hohlfahrt Kingdom. Then what if we go together there to ask? The diplomats there will recognize me for sure.」
Julius thought that the manager was suspecting him and mentioned about the embassy in order to proof his identity.
The manager looked stumped.
「E-err, as you can see my restaurant is just a cheap restaurant.」
「I know that. You’re looking for part-time worker right? That’s why I come here!」
The manager averted his face from Julius and raised his palms toward Julius warily.
「T-that’s why, I’m saying that it’s impossible for a restaurant like this to hire a former prince!」
「No, I’m only disinherited from my position as crown prince, but even right now I’m still a prince.」
「Then it’s even more impossible for me to hire you!」
Seeing the manager cried made Julius thought.
(S-so this place is also no good.)
Julius’s shoulders slumped down and he left the restaurant.
.
Night came. Julius sat on a bench at a public park while looking at the night sky.
「What did I do wrong?」
Not a single shop would hire him because he talked honestly about himself.
His stomach was hungry, but he was unable to eat dinner because he only had small changes in his hand.
「──To think it’s this difficult to earn money.」
Thinking back now, he used up too much money at the first day.
If he saved half of the money at that time, he wouldn’t be troubled to buy dinner and stayed at inn right now.
Julius thought.
「Is everyone alright?」
He was going through this much difficulty, so surely the other four were also going through a hard time. Thinking that he stood up.
He became worried for the other four.
「Guess I’ll see how they are doing.」
He started walking to stroll around the city for a bit and cleared up his feeling.
Besides, he had also to search for a place where it looked like he would be able to stay.
Perhaps he should just return to the mansion?
Together with the other four, he would ask Marie for forgiveness so that she would forgive them.
He was starting to think that in his mind.
After he walked for a while, he arrived in front of a bustling restaurant.
The sweet and spicy aroma of sauce stimulated his appetite. His stomach was crying so he tried peering inside.
But Julius immediately hid himself.
(W-what’s the meaning of this!?)
There was Greg inside the restaurant.
He wasn’t inside working as restaurant staff, but as a customer.
Julius sat near the restaurant’s entrance where he could hear Greg’s conversation with other people.
「Oi newcomer! Eat more! The chicken meat is tasty.」
「Listen well Greg. It’s egg. Raw egg is the best.」
「Stupid idiot! The best is protein!」
Greg was surrounded by buff-looking men. It looked like he was having fun.
Julius didn’t know what kind of job Greg had found, but it seemed he was doing well.
Julius thought.
(Greg, so you are earning money. I’ll also try working a bit harder.)
Greg was also doing his best.
Julius pulled himself together and decided to do his best for a bit more. He started walking around the city again and bumped into Jilk who was wearing a brand new suit.
He was carrying a leather suitcase.
「Is that Jilk?」
Jilk was talking with someone.
They shook hand and smiled at each other.
And then after they finished shaking hand, Jilk also noticed Julius.
「Isn’t this your highness.」
「Y-yeah, you look like you’re doing well.」
Only several days had passed, but Jilk had purchased new attire.
「Appearance is important after all. More importantly, is your highness doing well? After all I too have no intention of losing.」
Julius became ashamed himself for thinking to return to the mansion just now.
That was why he put on airs.
「O-of course. I’m going to be number one.」
「As expected from your highness! I also won’t lose.」
「More importantly, what are you doing dressing up like this?」
Julius was curious about Jilk’s suit, but Jilk himself didn’t find any problem with his appearance.
「Ah, I bought this at my first day. I will buy something more expensive later, but I’ll endure with this for now.」
「At the first day?」
It seemed Jilk purchased a suit with the money that Marie gave them.
「However, I’m sorry but I’m in a hurry, so please excuse me for now. I still have another business discussion to attend.」
「Business discussion?」
Jilk left at a quick pace. He seemed busy.
Julius was taken aback.
He never thought that his foster brother and best friend who had been with him the longest would be this successful while he himself was struggling.
Julius’s shoulders slumped down.
(Just what am I doing?)
With unsteady gait and such question filling his mind, he thought to go to a place with few people. Then a lot of people went out from a building nearby.
It seemed the building was a theater where entertainers performed.
It was a small building, but it was packed full with a lot of guests.
Everyone was smiling.
「Is there something? Tsu!」
Julius’s eyes snapped wide open when he saw the signboard.
On the large signboard, 『The Magic Show of the Extraordinaire Genius Magician (lol) Brad-kyun』 was written.
The guests were all talking.
「Brad-sama is magnificent too today.」
「I’ll come again tomorrow!」
「Me too~」
It wasn’t just the females, even the males were looking delighted.
「That Brad, he actually has a talent as a performer?」
Julius couldn’t believe that Brad was showing a performance as a famous celebrity.
He wanted to believe that this was just some kind of mistake, but he noticed himself was envying the success of his friend and shook his head to get rid of the thought.
(I’m really pathetic.)
He rethought his thinking that he should recognize his friend’s effort. And then he decided to search for a place to sleep today.
Then──he met Chris.
「Hm? Is that you your highness?」
「Chris?」
Chris was dressed the same like when they left the mansion, but his arms were holding a bag. It seemed he had just returned from shopping.
「D-did you just come back from shopping?」
「Yes. Right now I’m doing odd jobs in an establishment. But please watch me. Soon I’ll be able to earn more money.」
Here Julius noticed.
(C-could it be, I’m the only one──who is not working?)
Chris was talking to Julius with a smile, but his words didn’t enter Julius’s ear at all.
And then Chris asked this question.
「By the way, where is your highness working right now? I’m working in a nearby bathhouse──」
Julius ran off.
No, he was running away.
「I’M THE ONLY ONE WHO ISN’T WORKINGGGGGG!!」
Chris called out to him in surprise.
「Y-YOUR HIGHNESSSSS! WHAT’S WRONG!?」
「UWAaaaAaaaAa!!」
He became terribly ashamed for thinking that the four were surely also struggling like him and that he wanted to find them so they could return together to the mansion.
.
Julius arrived at a riverside. He sat down under the bridge.
He was watching the flow of the river in a daze.
「──Even though everyone is working hard, I’m the only one who can’t find a job.」
The four of them must have found job right away.
He got the feeling that Jilk and Brad were earning a lot of money.
He didn’t know about Greg and Chris, even so they must be earning more than Julius who was jobless.
Among the five he was the most──hopeless.
Julius realized that and looked dumbfounded.
「If I return alone like this, then even Marie will be disgusted with me.」
He became sad when he said it out loud.
Then──*clop clop* there was a sound.
It seemed someone was coming nearby.
When he lifted up his face, he found a man at his fifty there.
「Sonny, you look listless there.」
「──Y-yeah」
When he replied, his stomach grumbled at the same time. He became ashamed.
He casted his gaze down. The man opened his mouth and laughed loudly.
「If you’re hungry then nice timing. Want to eat at my stand?」
It seemed the man was pulling his food stand.
The words 「Meat Skewer」 were written in Alzer language. Julius swallowed the saliva that was rapidly pooling in his mouth.
「S-sorry, but I don’t have much money right now.」
「How much do you have?」
When he showed the man his money, the man clapped Julius’s back.
「You can eat three sticks at my place with that much. I’ll give you some extra too, so just come.」
The man had only just pulled his stand. He hadn’t gotten any customer yet.
The man grilled several sticks of skewered meat. Julius’s eyes brightened seeing that.
「Sonny, do you like meat skewer?」
「Yes!」
Julius ate the grilled meat skewer wordlessly until he finished them all.
Perhaps because he was hungry, this meat skewer tasted more delicious than anything he had eaten until now.
「It’s delicious.」
Julius muttered that. The man──the stand’s owner asked about Julius’s circumstance.
「Your face looked gloomy. Did something happen?」
Julius was troubled when he was asked that, but because the old man had treated him, he honestly told him his circumstance.
However, he only told the old man about the part where he had to live by himself while working for a month.
「I was kicked out from the mansio──from home. I was told to go work for a month.」
「You look like a young master from well-to-do family after all. Well, it’s also good to learn about society.」
「But, no place will hire me. All of my acquaintances have found job, it feels like I’m the only one left behind.」
The stand’s owner thought for a bit when he saw the dejected Julius.
「So it’s just for a month?」
.
The next day.
「Welcome!」
The one who gave such energetic greeting was Julius wearing an apron and a twisted headband on his head.
The customers that came to the stand made fun of the stand’s old man──the stand’s boss.
「You hired a really energetic lad huh.」
「Are you going to retire soon boss?」
「You’re already old after all.」
The boss grilled the meat skewers in front of the rude customers while talking back.
「Stupid idiots! I’m going to work until I die! I’m just looking after this lad for a month because he was in trouble. Oi, Julius, you help out too.」
「Yes boss!」
Julius ended up working at the stand as the boss’s helper.
