Reincarnated in an Otome game as the ugly character in the background

I once wondered "Why besides being ugly am I so unlucky?" That's what I thought, Razel Bartlet, a reincarnated young man from a country known as Japan, there my name was Shishigami Naoto, an extroverted boy who preferred to spend playing video games than going out to hang out with friends I didn't have.

I died tragically and woke up in this Otome game world. An otome game is a game for girls where the heroine seeks to trap beautiful young men in order to achieve a happy ending.

That happy ending in this game was too terrible, I say that because the central theme of the game is RPG. From what I read in forums, the reason it has combat elements to be a romance is because the developers were playing with another development team attached.

Thanks to that stupidity is that one of the best games of recent times was born, having a sales rate of over 100%.... well, I think I'm straying too far from the main topic.

To make it short, my situation is the same as achieving the bad end of a game, no, the best would be to say that I'm at the end of death.

That's because of what happened a few moments ago.

The woman next to me, Barbara is my future mother-in-law, who looks too much like her daughter, with the exception of her huge breasts, round butt and a beauty mark under her lip. For several months we have been in a sinful relationship where we give each other love. My love for her always ended up overflowing inside her to the point that I never worried that something like this would happen so soon.

I found out she is pregnant.

I mean, she's having my child.

Which means I'm going to be a daddy.

At my age of 17th birthday I will be a father. I have a confused feeling between joy, anxiety, doubt, satisfaction with myself for being able to impregnate an older woman, but mostly fear.

The fear comes from the people who observed us kissing.

My women, my personal harem in other words.

On the right were Celia and Evelyn, two girls who are not part of the game, although they are proper people of this world.

While on the right were the protagonist of the otome game, Lily, she at the end of the game will save the empire and the world after defeating the demon king along with some of the capture targets, but because they are all idiots and a duel occurred, she became my girlfriend, she was adopted by Barbara.

Next to her with a dark and disgusted expression was my future wife Elize, who was the villainess. She and Lily were sworn enemies until the villainess doom event.

I fought alongside my friend Cid, another capture target but who was pay-to-play, we fought those five idiots and ended up winning in a way.

I look at the person who looks at me with pity, she is a beautiful woman dressed as a maid, her bright light green eyes were intense even with glasses, her emerald green hair was long and tied in a refined ponytail, tied with a donut braid and two braids extending from her ears to that donut of hair.

Cordelia von Evans, the eldest daughter of a viscount. Cordelia used to look at me with revulsion and disgust until I saved her from a strange guy, after that she told me she wanted to be my concubine.

We still don't tell anyone because so much has happened.

Behind her are two unexpected people, Leila, a wolf girl and Amy, she was one of the demon king's generals and possessor of the sin of pride, making her the Witch of Calamity.

Her magic is so powerful that she alone wiped out ¼ of the capital in the game.

She was my woman as all present, I have my doubts with Leila because she is so strong that once when I tried to kiss her she thought it was a game and hit me with her leg.

I was passed out for almost 9 hours, I am a little scared of her.

Back to Barbara, I was scared, Eli just saw us kissing and now she has proof in her hands that she is pregnant.

This is bad, sooner or later she had to find out, but not now.

I gathered all my courage and said.

"E-Eli, let me explain. You'll see─"

"I'm pregnant with Razel-kun's child."

I wanted to explain everything in a method that wouldn't make them want to cut my head off. Only Barbara dropped a bomb straight into a volcano.

She was trembling with her gaze shifting from Eli to the ground every few seconds.

"Y-You see... right after you got engaged to him. I wanted to enhance our closeness with a bath we used to take when you were little, remember?"

Eli didn't answer, just stared in horror at what her mother was telling her.

"And-And well... he told me he wanted to make me happy since I was alone all this time and since you had gotten your happiness...t hat made me a little jealous and... I accepted it."

Eli's mouth opened and closed in small intervals.

"You accepted 'what' mom?"

"... I agreed to be his woman. We made love that night and... I liked it so much. But, understand Eli! It's my fault, if he wanted to just have an affair with an old woman then I would have only allowed him to do it just once and then cut the relationship!"

"I don't wish to hurt you, I would never stand between my daughter's happiness! I would rather die than see you suffer due to me!"

Barbara was crying as she implored Eli not to think badly of me and that it was all her fault, I said I would make Barbara happy so after taking her hand, which was seen by all, I said to Eli.

"I'm sorry to keep it from you Eli, but from the first moment I saw your mother, I felt a desire towards her. I thought it would just be that and then when that day came, I thought nothing would happen and it did, I was shocked that it actually happened."

Eli's head was looking at the ground, I couldn't see her eyes, but for some reason, the air feels heavy.

Like it's getting warm, we're in spring so coolness should abound in the atmosphere.

"Razel... answer me two things."

"Tell me."

I said after swallowing saliva.

"Is this the first time you've lied to me?"

"No... as a child I lied to you that I said I would come to your birthday party."

"I know and I understand. You didn't want to come back because according to you it would make me stronger, right?"

I told Eli a little of the truth by leaving out details.

The reason I did that is so she wouldn't remember that I abandoned her for no reason, I told her I wanted her to be strong in her own way since she had no friends.

It certainly seems stupid that now that I stopped thinking like a background character. Seriously, why the fuck did I say that?

Well, what's done is done.

Now comes the second question. For some reason Eli seems to have a lump in her throat and the atmosphere starts to generate more heat.

I wish there were air conditioners in this world. There are fans, but no air conditioners, how disappointing.

"Razel... who was your first time, my mother or me?"

I answered without lying.

"Neither. It was Amy who is behind you─"

Before I could finish what I was saying, Eli looked up and I could see eyes as red as boiling lava, they were filled with hatred.

In a split second, Eli's body went into combat mode. She ran at high speed towards me and I saw her clench her right fist.

Once I tried Eli's fist, nothing would happen I thought as it was not that strong... I was wrong again.

Even though I had long ago lost my sensitivity to pain, I could feel the power, not the magic power of Eli but the muscular power of Eli all over my cheek.

I felt time slow down.

My feet lifted as my body was propelled forward.

I remember this feeling, it's what I felt when I was run over.

Time went back on track after watching as Barbara noticed I let go of her hand and headed for the wall.

Eli's physical strength was so strong that instead of being slammed into the wall that was ten feet away, I broke the wall and the next three. It is worth noting that the distance between the walls is almost 6 meters wide, so Eli sent me flying a distance of 21 meters using only physical strength.

It was terrifying.

After breaking the fourth wall, I found myself seeing all red.

Normally when I'm about to take damage a strange ability I acquired called Blut activates, it allows me to have a steel skin which resists any physical blow and it activated with hostility.

That means that Eli's blow had no murderous intent only pain.

I could not move my arms as one was bent in the opposite direction it should be and the other is buried like my legs in the rubble.

My breathing was heavy, I could feel with my tongue that I was missing a few teeth, five in fact.

That fist was much more dangerous than I thought.

It hurt. My whole body hurt.

"Eli please stop!" (Barbara)

"Stop Eli-chan!" (Lily)

"Elize ojou-sama don't do something crazy please!" (Cordelia)

I could clearly hear voices saying something to Eli.

Before I knew it, Eli was on top of me, her red underwear was in my line of sight.

"E-Eli... I─"

I tried to apologize, but she stopped me.

*Punch*

She gave me a big punch on my nose, I could feel something coming down my nose from a position that wasn't normal, I mean my nose is broken.

Now Eli was punishing me with his fists.

"You betrayed me again Razel!"

"You swore you would never lie to me again!"

"Now you want to play dumb like always and say it was an accident! You had sex with my mother! Your future mother-in-law! You chose to impregnate an old woman instead of your own fiancée! How do you think I feel at this humiliation? I'll be a mockery in front of the whole country again!"

I could hear Eli's pain in her words perfectly as I watched her cry with hate-filled eyes.

I couldn't say anything as my consciousness faded, before my eyelids closed, I could see Celia and Evelyn grab Eli's arms while Barbara with Cordelia grabbed her waist and Lily tried to cry out to her by talking to her face.

I couldn't see any more. I think I died again.

◇

I'm not dead it seems.

Since I am in an unexpected place, my subconscious.

This was happening when I was getting my ass kicked so hard and she must have come to save me.

I could see a place similar to my room in this blank space.

It was a bit surreal to see posters hanging floating and even a window reflecting nothing.

Sitting near a television, playing with a console was her. A beautiful woman with long hair and blood red eyes, she was the queen of the vampires, Astraea.

Astraea was one of the seven deadly sins like Amy, she was the sin of sloth.

She had a death wish and I granted her wish.

The problem is that she infected me with a virus and commissioned the mission to kill the remaining sins as to a certain person call Epstein.

She was wearing shorts, a loose white shirt which showed that she was not wearing a bra.

On her head she wore headphones with pink cat ears. The reason I had them in my old life was because an order went wrong and they were brought to me, there was no refund.

It was keep them or throw them away... I wasn't going to let those fluffy ears accumulate junk.

She saw me and waved after popping a chip in her mouth.

"Hey boy, it's been a while. I saw the whole thing, you got your ass kicked real hard."

"That's true. But I deserved it."

"You deserve more than that hahaha, I'm surprised they don't want to castrate you."

That scared me. I didn't want to lose my special friend.

"Let's talk while we play a game."

"Okay."

I heeded her since to get out of this place I have to wake up and I think it will be quite a while.

I sat down next to her and grabbed the joystick on the console. There she was playing a fighting game, it was that one about magical girls against strong men.

I started pressing buttons.

As time went by I was getting angry, she was kicking my ass really hard.

I had lost 10 games.

Astraea was talking to me while applying a combo of colored light beams. My macho, virile persona was being bathed in rainbows.

"So... you're going to be a daddy, congratulations I guess. I don't remember exactly what I felt when I gave birth to several children."

"I don't know what to answer about that. But thank you... I think."

The silence between us was awkward because of that topic.

Parenthood.

Honestly, I'm really scared. A child is a huge responsibility and I'm similar to cats.

I like to lie down for several hours a day and eat anything.

A child takes time.

In my current life I remember watching my mother as she took care of my little sister Gina and then my little brother Colin.

She put in a lot of effort even though she didn't work as that was taken care of by my father.

I'm sure it couldn't have been easy.

I put the play stick down and sighed.

Astraea asked me.

"Have you figured out what you're going to do yet?"

"I want to escape."

"That's what the Razel who lived as a background character would say. But now I'm scared that, when I wake up, Eli will still be very angry."

"Her fist nearly killed me, even when we fought I didn't feel the same sense of assured mortality."

"That's because you're a wimp."

She said as if putting me down. I looked at her and she was dead serious.

"It doesn't matter the situation or what you do. You must face the consequences of your actions."

She tapped me on the shoulder as if we were friends.

"If you're afraid, that's what talking to them is for. You have many women and one of them is already pregnant, I'm sure, if you all talk it out, you will come to an outcome that will make you happy."

I smiled at her.

"Your advice is strange."

"When you die, you learn from your mistakes. But in my case it works because this is just a small fraction of my soul... looks like it's time, bye boy, have your guts just as big as your sexual desire towards them."

With those words, I said goodbye to return to reality.

◇

I opened my eyes slowly, my face hurt.

I was in my room, the light was on, but it was perfectly clear from the window that it was night.

It means that I am not dead and that I was only unconscious for a few hours.

I raised my left hand, it hurt a lot, although there were no bruises.

With my tongue I touched my teeth and they seemed to grow back, it means that Lily healed me.

She is a very wonderful girl.

Although my right arm feels heavy. I tried to move my head to see if I had a cast. Yes, casts exist in this world too.

I thought it was cast, but it was actually a person, Eli was asleep on my arm.

"Emm..."

I tried to call out to her, but I didn't want to wake her up. My arm was very uncomfortable, as I tried to pull it off she reacted.

She lifted her face and our eyes met.

I watched as her pretty red eyes were totally red from tears.

"Err."

When I wanted to apologize, she hugged me accompanied with regret.

"I'm so sorry Razel! Forgive me I beg you!"

"I didn't mean to hurt you! It's just..."

Eli hugged me tightly as she cried, I heard what she thought at that moment.

"It's just... the moment you said you cheated on me again... I remembered that day. It wasn't about when you left."

"The day my father with a smile left. I thought you were going to do the same."

Huh?

She thought I was going to run away?

Am I that unreliable?

I imagine this is the consequences of being a background character at the time.

"I... I lost my mind, I thought you were going to say something just like him, that you'd go ask my father-in-law for advice and I'd never see you again... please forgive me, I was stupidly overreacting!"

"I didn't mean to hurt you. You're one of the people I would never hurt."

Eli looked at my face, she was truly sorry for what she did.

My body still hurt and I couldn't hug her, so I told her.

"No. It's okay, you reacted that way because it was the normal thing to do. After all, your mother will have my child. If I were in your place I would have taken a hit too."

"About that..."

Eli stopped hugging me, looked at me this time seriously.

"Get plenty of rest today. Tomorrow the three of us will talk sternly, no matter how long it takes, this relationship can't happen."

"W-What do you mean Eli."

Her words gave a bad signal.

"Tomorrow itself, either we end our engagement or we will move to another place. Razel, despite everything, you dared to mock me, you had sex with my mother. You could have chosen any woman in the mansion to have a secret affair with and you decided to impregnate your mother-in-law. How do you think I feel that right now my future brother or sister has the blood of the man who will one day bear me children?"

I didn't know what to answer. Eli turned and headed for the door.

"Tomorrow will be a heavy day, sleep well."

Eli left the room after turning off the light.

Truly, someone up there really hates me.

◇◇◇

Bedtime came. The Rosenberg mansion was silent after what happened hours ago.

Many people witnessed Eli the heiress yelling at Razel. The whole mansion knew that Barbara was pregnant with the future duke's child.

No one said anything, they just kept quiet.

After stopping Eli from doing something crazy, Lily healed Razel to the point where she also fainted.

Eli stopped after seeing her sister collapse.

It was only then that she realized everything she did.

They took Razel to his room and they were all silent.

Eli stayed with him for hours and finally went back to her room, Lily was waiting for her on her bed, she wanted to talk to her.

Eli lay down next to her, their gazes met.

"Are you all right?"

Lily asked in a very worried tone. Eli answered her.

"I don't know what to think. I mean, a few hours ago it was happiness since we were going on a trip all together, then I found out my boyfriend got my mom pregnant."

"My head is spinning. I don't know what to do tomorrow."

Lily asked her something she didn't want to say.

"Eli-chan... do you want mom to have Razel-kun's baby?"

Eli stopped, without even turning to look at her she turned sideways.

"Please don't ask me that. I don't mean an eyesore."

"You know Eli-chan, despite the fact that I consider it was wrong for them to hide it. I don't see anything wrong with Mom being pregnant."

"Huh?"

Eli made an idiotic sound at Lily's response that no one expected.

"It's just that look. I'm adopted into this family, I'm your sister by name, but I'm also Razel-kun's woman, that means I'm like mom too."

Eli was shocked at that answer, she wanted to try to refute, but Lily continued.

"If we are sister and have the same boyfriend, that makes me a bad woman as a mom from your perception, right?"

Eli responded angrily without turning around.

"Of course it doesn't! It's just that Razel... he... it's my mother who will have his child... my boyfriend will give me a little brother or sister."

"Umm... as someone who has no family, it seems to me that more blood relatives is good. Remember mom herself said that Razel needs a lot of women to bring back the Rosenberg lineage."

"The only Rosenbergs left are you two. Maybe she wanted to help with that."

"Let's remember that, if we fall in love with him, any other woman will."

Lily's words left Eli deep in thought, before she could answer her, someone knocked on the door.

It was Barbara.

She was dressed in a long nightgown, her perfect curves, her big ass and her huge breasts were marked in that light almost transparent fabric.

Barbara had her hair up and her face was pointing to the floor.

She had been at the door for a while, but didn't want to knock. Hearing Lily talk about her and defend her made her gain courage.

She knocked on the door and spoke to Eli without opening the door.

"Eli... it's Mom. I'm sorry to bother you at this hour, but I have something very important to tell you."

Eli didn't respond, just listened to what her mother had to say.

From her point of view, she was betrayed by the people she loved to the point of being ridiculed in a way.

"I just want to ask you, whatever you decide, don't think about ruining your engagement. This was my fault, that day, I really wanted to have a mother-son relationship with him."

"But that event happened, I don't regret it, because it would be denying that the life growing in my womb right now is a mistake. Just as I learned that you were growing inside me, I am happy to know that I can be a mother again."

"Eli. If you want to hate someone, hate me, if you want to curse someone, curse me. But don't despise your fiancé."

"I myself chose to continue that relationship. If it had been just once, then that secret I would have taken to my grave."

"I don't expect you to forgive me..."

Tears streamed down her rosy cheeks as Barbara squeezed her chest.

"I won't use an excuse like 'I was lonely' because it's true. From the day your father left us, I felt a void in my life."

"I knew him since we were kids, we grew up together and I always felt happy by his side. That's why when he left us I couldn't believe it, I thought it was a mistake, a nightmare... but it was reality."

"I was so many years alone that in order not to think about if he left us for my fault, if I wasn't a good wife and he was doing things he shouldn't and I couldn't stop him... I always blamed myself for it..."

"So, when Razel-kun told me those wonderful words, I gave in to him. Eli, a woman's loneliness is a horrible thing, you better than anyone know that."

"I'm sure you know that, if I had the chance to see your father again or if he came back, I'd punch him in his face so hard, it would deform him. And then I would hug him and cry because I missed him."

"But with this, I can take it for granted that my love for your father is no more. If you thought maybe Razel-kun would abandon us too, he won't, he risked his life for us and even paid our debt. He's not the kind of man who would do something important and then run away."

"That's all. Whatever you decide, your mother is the only one who deserves punishment. Good night to you both, I love you more than anything in the world."

With those touching words, Barbara walked away. Both Lily and Eli wept silently.

Eli pulled the sheet over herself and thought as she bit her tongue.

(What should I do?)

(Help me, grandpa.)

❤❤❤

Where am I?

I looked around, I was in a familiar room. The weird thing is that this room doesn't exist anymore. That's why it seemed strange to me.

I was walking to get out of here, but my steps were short and small, as I looked at the floor, I discovered that I had become a girl again.

I approached a mirror and indeed, I was a girl again.

Both my body and my breasts grew smaller. In a way I was glad to be able to see my feet again, short though they may be.

"Eli, where are you?"

Someone was calling my name, I recognized that voice.

I immediately went running to a door that materialized in the distance.

Opening it I saw a person who was no longer here.

"Grandpa!"

My grandfather, the former head of the house, Richard von Rosenberg, an elderly man with gray hair and blue eyes.

I jumped on top of him and hugged him tightly.

"Grandpa! Grandpa! Grandpa! Grandpa! Grandpa! Grandpa!"

I was so happy to see him, as remembering my height. It was a few months before my father betrayed us that he passed away.

I thought my grandfather's death affected him in a negative way. I was wrong years later.

My grandfather carried me in his arms as he walked out of the mansion.

"You sure have grown into a big girl, Eli."

"Grandpa...I missed you so much. I really need you grandpa."

My grandfather came outside and sat down. He stroked my back and with his gentle as warm smile he said.

"Tell me, my granddaughter, what's bothering you?"

I know this is a dream, but I want to tell him anyway.

"I see..."

I told him everything that happened. He looked at the garden with a sad face.

"So that happened."

For some reason, despite being a dream, he looked like he really was sad. The next thing he said left me more confused.

"So Alvin is able to do that. I feel like a lousy father."

My subconscious must be reflecting what my grandfather would think if he were still alive.

I told him everything to see which answer would be the right one to follow.

"I understand."

"What do you think I should do, Grandpa?"

"Umm... I don't know, hahaha."

Yes. That was certainly the answer my grandfather would sometimes give.

He would laugh to try to avoid the problem.

"Eli. Do you know why your grandmother and I were married for so many years despite being a political marriage?"

"My grandmother belonged to one of the important families of the country, it was necessary and obligatory that."

"That's the answer a nobleman would give. Now tell me as a woman."

"Do you think your grandmother and I were happy?"

"I don't think so."

"You're wrong. We were."

That surprised me. I have few memories of my grandmother, she died before I could understand my surroundings.

"We were from different families, we first saw each other on our wedding day, but as time went on we both tried to love each other since we had nothing in common."

"Many years passed... and finally when your father was older, your mother and I acted as a couple in love."

"It was difficult no doubt. But when there's real love, nothing matters."

"Really?"

My grandfather stroked my head, I laid my head on his chest as he spoke to me.

"Do you love your mother?"

"I love her."

"Do you love your fiancé?"

"I love him in spite of everything."

"Will you love that creature?"

"... I will since it will be my baby brother or sister. It makes me a little happy to know I will have one... but his father will be the future father of his nieces and nephews, that makes me very uncomfortable."

"Hahaha, Eli, let me tell you, I've seen worse things in my life. Certainly, that Barbara-chan has now fallen in love with the future duke of the house is something strange, but in this world of nobility you must understand that there are things we don't like. I never had mistresses myself because I thought it would be selfish to have more than one child, instead your betrothed seems to be the kind of man who likes to be surrounded by women and protect them all."

"You decide Eli what you do now. But let me give you some advice, your mother has never had a nice life, since I have known her since she was a child, I know better than anyone that she holds a lot of things in her heart, if you really love her you want her to be happy."

I ducked my head. I understand what my grandfather means.

When I was a child I would sometimes see my mother crying in the office of the head of the house after dark.

Other times I would see her kissing the floor of the pawnbrokers when we had no money.

We even sold many things as family souvenirs to have money.

I understand better than anyone that my mother deserves to be happy more than I do.

I said to my grandfather.

"I understand, I will make my decision soon."

"That makes me happy. By the way, I would like you to tell Glenn that he did enough for the house, he can retire to rest easy."

"I understand, I will tell him."

With that, the dream should be over by now, but the next thing he said left me totally puzzled.

"I would have liked to meet Lily-chan, I'm sure she's a good girl. She's a whole Rosenberg, even if she's not by blood."

"Wait! I never told you about Lily! How come you know about her─?"

"Goodbye, Eli. I was glad to see you've grown up a lot."

With his kind smile, my grandfather said goodbye to me.

Wait please, am I really dreaming?

Grandpa!

◇◇◇

"Grandpa!"

Eli woke up with her arms outstretched.

Her hair was disheveled, morning had already come and it was a beautiful day due to the sun's rays.

She pinched her face to see if she was still dreaming.

She looked over at Lily who was still sleeping peacefully.

Eli collapsed on the bed and mumbled.

"It was a dream wasn't it, Grandpa?"

"Even if it wasn't... I made my decision."

Eli's eyes shone with a strong gleam in her resolve.

◇

I had just woken up, today was the day where Eli would decide on what will happen to our relationship.

I'm scared, I don't know what to do if she says we broke our engagement or if we will stay together, but we should stay away from her mother.

I spent most of the night asking myself that question.

I have a few possible answers.

I thought of about 270, of those only 216 were rejected.

Number 17 is a good idea, but she will hit me again. While number 19 would make both, her and Barbara hit me.

I lose out either way.

After changing and going about my morning business, I left my room.

Barbara was waiting for me outside, she was wearing a beautiful dress for inside the mansion.

"Good morning."

"Good morning."

I said, she returned my greeting. From her face it seemed I wasn't the only one who had a bad night.

She wanted to say something, but closed her mouth. She really doesn't seem to know what to say at this crucial time.

It reminds me a bit of when I was on the jury and my parents got divorced.

My father was angry while my mother looked happy, I couldn't understand back then what was going on, I just know that I will never let my family collapse again.

I walked to her and hugged her, I said.

"I told you before and I'm telling you now. You are my woman, Eli and the others are."

"This house will be mine one day. I won't let anyone hurt you again. So, trust me. I will make sure Eli accepts us and more so now that you are expecting my child."

I am still terrified at the thought that at my young age I will have a child, and with my mother-in-law justly so.

Barbara cried and hugged me back.

"Yes. Darling."

She also wanted to be happy. It can be said that to achieve happiness we must defeat the final boss, in this case the villainess Elize.

A very bad joke came out unintentionally.

◇

We walked to the meeting room of the mansion, Cordelia was waiting for us outside, she noticed us holding hands and smiled.

She opened the door and as we entered she closed it.

At that long oval table where almost 40 people can sit, I found my harem waiting for us.

Celia, Evelyn and Lily were behind Eli who was the only one sitting, besides drinking tea.

Eli noticed that we were holding hands, her gaze focused there.

After a while of being quiet she said.

"Sit down."

She means the final fight begins.

We sat down. Eli set her cup of tea down on the saucer.

I was ready to say "I love Barbara, Eli, I love the others too and I want us all to be happy." But she stumped me with another question.

"Mom, do you love Razel?"

"Huh?"

Barbara and I made the same idiotic sound, not expecting her to ask that question.

"Mom, answer in all honesty."

Barbara who was puzzled noticed her daughter's serious face, in the same tone she answered her.

"I love him. Much more now that I'm expecting his child. But that doesn't mean I will be his wife, I understand that this son is not an heir nor your replacement, I will love this creature the same way I love you and him."

"I see. Now you Razel, do you love my mother?"

That was a question only in those adult anime you might see, not one related to an otome game world.

I told her without hesitation.

"I love her. You too, I'll make sure to love you all equally and never lie to you or hide anything from you ever again."

"I understand."

Eli was quiet again, took a big breath and spoke the final verdict.

"You two really are the worst, you know? Put yourself in my situation, do you think I like knowing that my mother is pregnant with my fiancé's child?"

"How do you think I'll feel about seeing it?"

We ducked our heads, we didn't want to make her angrier.

"But that doesn't mean I'm going to hate it. Worst of all, I'm sure I'd play with him or her when he or she is born."

"...!"

We lifted our faces and saw Eli flicking her tea cup in a disinterested manner.

"It's okay you two. I won't get in the way of your degenerating love affair. Razel, you can keep kissing my mother. And you mom, you can keep sleeping with my fiancé, your son-in-law."

Eli was actually annoyed as those words deepened.

"What's with those faces? I told you it's okay, you can be lovers. But I don't want to see you kissing in front of me, and if you do, let it be days before we do, you hear Razel?"

"Err... does that mean it's all good now?"

Eli looked at me, as if I'd said the stupidest thing in the world.

"Of course it is. My mother will be your mistress, I've already given them my approval."

Barbara and I both stood up due to astonishment.

"Really, Eli?"

We said at the same time, Eli looked disgusted.

"Are you guys cynical? I said okay, ah geez, Cordelia, please gather everyone in the lobby, I have a report to give before strange rumors spread."

"Aye aye ojou-sama."

My happy expression overflowed from my face, Barbara looked happier than me.

Seeing each other, we hugged.

"Razel-kun, I'm so happy!"

"Me too, Barbara, I love you."

Realizing what I said, I opened my eyes and looked in the direction of my girlfriends.

All four of them were looking at me in a confused way, but only Eli was the only one with a dull look.

"I told you... don't show your affection in front of me!"

◇

Eli summoned all the servants, knights and officials of the territory to the mansion.

A few hours passed until every important vassal of the duchy would be here.

Next to Eli stood an old man, long gray hair tied in a bun, with a lock beard and blue eyes, he was the head butler and right hand man of former head of the household and Barbara, Glenn Whiteberg.

"I'm glad you all came despite being busy. This won't last long, it will only take a moment."

"You see, there is some news I have to tell you all. My mother, the duchess..."

Her face made a complicated expression, but she relaxed after overcoming a little.

"The Duchess Rosenberg... is the mistress of Razel, the future duke."

There was a colossal silence, no one's breath could be heard.

"It may have taken you by surprise, but let me tell you that this does not affect our engagement or in succession issues. I will be the legitimate heir even if the baby she is expecting is a boy. I am sorry to have taken your time away from work to give you this news, but it was necessary to understand what happened yesterday─"

Someone raised her hand.

It was a maid, she looked a bit fearful.

"Emm... Elize ojou-sama."

"Yes, is something wrong?"

"You see, we already knew that."

"...... Huh?"

Was the expression all of us made.

The servants began to murmur.

"I thought she already knew?"

"Miss Elize is perhaps a bit dense if she didn't notice the obvious signs."

"I thought the announcement was to indicate you were pregnant, too bad for my wallet."

Eli started sweating, so did we.

"W-W-W-W-Wait a minute everyone... you already knew? Since when?"

Almost in unison everyone said.

"Since those moans were heard reaching every corner of the mansion."

Barbara covered her face in embarrassment, Cordelia beside me whispered.

"I told you, you weren't exactly quiet."

More murmurs from the servants I heard.

"I noticed it when I saw her sneaking into his room in the middle of the night."

"When I was cleaning the halls, they weren't exactly quiet."

"Who do you think should wash those dirty sheets?"

I slumped down, too.

(Everyone knew that...)

I lifted my face and looked at Glenn, Eli looked at him too.

Noticing our stare, he replied.

"I knew it long before. I had told you that nothing escapes me. Don't worry, I never told anyone, but the servants did know."

Eli slumped too, I'm sure she thought the same thing I did.

(So all of this was for nothing!)

I felt like an idiot. Everyone knew the secret except her.

Evelyn tapped me on the shoulder.

"I knew it too. I was just feigning ignorance, I didn't want to be the only one who didn't know."

Again I slumped, Eli did too.

(Even Evelyn knew!)

It seemed like it was just the five of us who didn't know that everyone knew about Barbara and me.

Eli lifted her head.

"I get it... we were very careless. I have a headache, I'll take some aspirin and then we'll go see her."

"Where are you going?"

I asked Eli, she looked at me with a tired look.

"You mean 'we'll go' because you're coming with me."

"Where to?"

She said something I never expected.

"To the palace. The first imperial princess wants to meet you."

Because I hadn't had such knowledge of an empire princess.