Meeting up with everyone at the school gates, a short time later, I was not the least bit surprised to see Prime Minister Atlee, Duke Redgrave, and Gilbert Redgrave with them. Noticing that Gilbert was doing his best to hide a smirk, I assumed at the very least I was not in trouble. Greeting them with a friendly wave, Bernard immediately ran up and began patting my back vigorously.
"Well done, Victor!", Prime Minister Atlee applauded me, "It was good to see someone smack some sense into those boys. While it was a bit too late, which is not your fault, I was happy to see Jilk get his comeuppance for breaking my beloved daughter's heart."
"While I agree they needed the wake-up call, was the fly over necessary? You do know this will incite those who dislike your rise to power to begin spreading rumors about you, correct? Given your close relationship with Queen Mylene, some may infer you are attempting to usurp the Crown's authority from King Roland.", Duke Redgrave remarked, with an emotionless expression.
"I am fully aware of the risks involved with my stunt, but frankly I could care less what the other noblemen think. For a long time now this country has sat idly by while the Principality walked all over us. Our citizens need to know that the nobility is not going to let them fend for themselves, and the nobility needed someone to lead the charge against the Principality's aggression. Sure, some of the more weak-willed nobles will say I am stirring up the pot, but I would rather be seen that way then let more innocent people die.", I told him, with a serious expression, "As far as me wanting to usurp the Crown's Authority, I do not want anything to do with it. I have seen the toll it takes on Queen Mylene, no way in hell am I going to sign myself up to take it from her."
Focusing his eyes on mine for a few moments, he nodded his head in approval.
"I assumed as much, but I wanted to hear it from your lips myself.", Duke Redgrave said, patting me on the shoulder, "Now then, may I ask a favor of you?"
"Sure, how can I help you?", I asked.
"This whole mess with the Crown Prince has caused my daughter a great deal of stress. I believe some time away from the Capital would do her some good during the break. Would you mind taking her to your father's territory for some fresh air and relaxation?", he inquired.
"Would one of my islands be alright with you? I just recently completed the construction of a mansion on the island where I grow all the ingredients for my alcoholic beverages. There are hot springs on the island along with – ", I began to say.
"Hold on, did you say hot springs?!", Clarice said, enthusiastically, "Father, can I go as well?"
Turning to me with an apologetic look, I nodded my head in approval. Assuming the mention of hot springs would entice them to come along, I turned to Olivia and asked her to come as well.
"You want me to come with you guys?!", Olivia questioned, with a worried look, "Are you sure it is okay for a commoner like me to come?"
"Yes, you are a dear friend to both Angelica and me, why would we leave you out of it?", I remarked, "Just say yes already, haha!"
"Well…since you are okay with it…", Olivia agreed, with a happy smile.
"That settles it then, please take care of our daughters for the duration of your trip!", Prime Minister Atlee said, before hurriedly returning to his carriage.
Following him, Duke Redgrave and Gilbert said their goodbyes and left as well. Hailing my car, I helped the five ladies inside before jumping behind the wheel. Spinning the car around, we immediately got underway to the Market District for lunch.
---3rd Person POV, Infirmary---
Regaining consciousness after a while, Jilk found himself looking up at an unfamiliar white ceiling. Believing he had died from his injuries; he covered his eyes with the back of his hand and let out a sigh of defeat. Attempting to sit up, a jolt of pain shot through his body knocking the wind out of him.
"Jilk, do not move too much.", Julius said, walking over to him.
"He killed both of us?!", Jilk shrieked, quickly removing his hand from his eyes.
"Neither of you are dead!", Mylene remarked, pinching his cheek to snap him out of it, "Victor spared your life at the behest of the scholarship student Olivia."
Vaguely recalling something like that before he blacked out, he looked over at Julius again with an apologetic look. Knowing he had shamed them all with his rash decision, Jilk wanted to apologize for everything immediately. Before he could open his mouth to speak, Julius dropped the bombshell on him.
"Marie…she played us for fools.", Julius said, looking at him with a heartbroken expression, "She…she called us utterly useless men who were not worth dying over."
"That…that cannot be right!", Jilk stated, unwilling to believe it.
"It is true…", Brad confirmed, "She played us for fools at the behest of my ex-fiancé Stephanie. After you were taken to the infirmary, Julius accepted defeat and began helping us back here. As we were leaving the arena, Marie viciously attacked Stephanie and revealed her true colors to us. Jilk…she is not the girl she led us to believe she was. What I saw…that was not the kind, lovely Marie I fell in love with."
Looking toward Chris, the hollow expression in his eyes confirmed that what they were saying was no lie. Turning his eyes up toward the ceiling again, the weight of this revelation hit him hard. Everyone had repeatedly warned them about her, but they had refused to listen. He could not believe he had disgraced his kindhearted ex-fiancé and fought in a Trial by Combat for a two-faced woman. Everything they had done up till now had been naught, and it cost almost everything for it.
"We are such idiots…", he sniffled, thinking he was better off dead.
"Yeah…we are…", Greg agreed, still reeling from the news as well.
"So where does this leave us then?", Jilk inquired, hesitant to know the answer.
"While it has yet to be discussed, most likely all five of you will end up disowned and disinherited.", Mylene said, holding her son's hand tightly, "Please believe me that I do not want to do this, but I have no choice. The five of you have destabilized our government and called into question the competency of all our houses. Brad, Chris, and Greg's families will be left scrambling to name an heir as they have no siblings, and in our case, we will end up naming Jake as Crown Prince. It is not set in stone yet, but I do not see any other way for this to play out."
Having expected as much, Jilk was not sure how they would continue living from now on. Being disowned by their families meant that they would no longer have a connection to them in any capacity. Not looking forward to a hard life as a commoner, the only ray of light here was that they no longer had the heavy weight of expectation on their shoulders.
"The best I can do is allow you to continue living with us till your eighteenth birthdays.", Mylene stated, trying to buy them some time to get on their feet before they were thrown to the wolves.
"Thank you, Mother.", Jilk said, "You may not be my mother by blood, but I still think of you as such. Please forgive my rashness and stupidity, the last thing I wanted was to hurt you."
"It is okay dear, I am just grateful to have you back and that you are alive still.", Mylene remarked, with a warm smile, "Now get some rest, the Blood Potion they gave you needs time to revitalize your body. You should be able to move again in a few hours, though it may be a bit painful."
Thanking her again, Mylene promptly excused herself to begin quelling the fires that were sure to begin raging shortly. Waiting for her to be out of the room, Jilk looked at Julius again with a serious expression.
"Julius, we need to apologize properly to our ex-fiancées. We have caused them a lot of pain over this, and I think it would go a long way in helping our houses mend things.", Jilk explained, "It is the least we can do after everything we have done."
"I agree with Jilk, our stupidity caused this mess to begin with.", Brad seconded.
"I…I understand and acknowledge it is the right thing to do.", Julius agreed, "Tonight is the End of Term Party, we can properly end things there and hope it softens the blowback a bit for our parents."
"That is fine and all but does anyone know what to say to them other than sorry?", Greg questioned, "I think just an 'I am sorry' will only make things worse. We should probably put some thought into it."
"It is unlike you to think so logically.", Chris teased him.
"Damn near burning to death gives you a whole other outlook on life…", Greg groaned, as he shifted around, "This burn cream smells horrible…"
"Haha.", Brad laughed, "Not any worse than the time you slipped and fell into horse shit."
Laughing in remembrance of that moment, the men began talking with one another to plan out their apologies.
---Market District---
"That was much more enjoyable than I expected it to be.", Clarice commented, glancing back at the car, "I can understand now why you do not use carriages like the rest of us."
"Do you intend to sell vehicles like that to the nobility?", Angelica inquired, looking a bit envious of the comforts I enjoyed.
"No, some things are reserved for me alone.", I replied, with a smirk, "Besides, do you think nobles could pilot them any better than they can drive carriages now?"
Imaging the average nobleman piloting a flying vehicle, the two women violently shook their heads no. Having seen many instances of nobles crashing their own carriages when they have the reins, they did not want to imagine the results of crashing a flying vehicle into a building or group of people. Casually entering the market, the assort of smells in the air made our stomachs growl loudly demanding to be fed.
"Come on, I will show you an amazing stall we can order from!", Olivia said, motioning for us to follow her.
Obliging her request, five of us followed her through the open market to a familiar looking stall. Realizing she was leading us to one of my stalls, Olivia apparently had a taste for Greek food as that is what they served there. Having recreated several dozen different types of cultural food I had eaten back on earth, when they came onto the market, we had forty-five minute waiting lines at the food carts. Since the Holfort Kingdom's food was incredibly bland, due to the minimal use of spices, the food became prized by commoners and nobles alike.
"Hey, it is my favorite customer!!", the stall worker shouted, full of enthusiasm, "Let me guess, you want some Pita Bread and Tzatziki, yes?"
"Hehe, you know it!", Olivia acknowledged, doing a little happy dance, "Come and look at the menu everyone!"
"Oh you brought some friends with…", he began to say, before noticing me, "Good Afternoon, sir! Should I write off everyone's meals since they are friends of yours?"
"Victor, you know him?", Olivia asked, a bit surprised I had been here before.
"Mr. Stark is the owner of this stall and many others here in the market.", the worker advised.
Startled by this revelation, Olivia felt a bit embarrassed she had not realized sooner.
"You have to make a living too, Jacob, lunch is on me today.", I said, sliding him a stack of dia from my Storage, "Whatever is left over, keep as a tip. You have a baby on the way, they can get expensive very quick."
"Thank you, sir!!", he stated, bowing his head, "Please take your time to look over the menu!!"
Letting Angelica and Clarice look the menu over, Lucoa and Roxanne ordered the food immediately. Having taste tested everything I put out on the market, before it hit the streets, they knew exactly what they wanted and how they wanted it too.
"I will take an extra-large lamb gyro with feta cheese!", Roxanne told him, "I would like fries and tea with that, please."
"Jeez Roxanne, you beat me to the punch!", Lucoa laughed, "I will have a large Spicy Chicken Greek salad with a side of Pita Bread please."
"I will have what Roxanne is having, except I will have a Dr. Bubbles.", I said, turning to the two noblewomen, "Do you ladies know what you want?"
Nodding their heads, Angelica ordered a medium chicken gyro with tea and Clarice ordered a Greek salad with tea as well. Writing our orders down, the young man thanked us for our patronage and got to cooking immediately. Taking a seat at a large table nearby, once we were seated, Clarice asked me about my business ventures.
"So my father says you are into a little bit of everything in the market, is that true?", she inquired.
"That is correct, I have the market cornered on pretty much everything for both nobles and commoners. Lucoa and Roxanne are my official taste testers for food products; Queen Mylene tests all my makeup and clothing products; King Roland, Duke Redgrave, and your father are my alcohol taste testers; and I have several other groups that sample everything else I sell.", I chuckled.
"So it is true then, Mylene gets free makeup and clothes…", Clarice sighed, "She is lucky!"
"Well she is the Queen, and she carries a heavy burden for all of us.", Lucoa pointed out.
"Fair enough.", Clarice conceded, "I hope whoever ends up being my husband in the future treats me better than how Mylene gets treated…"
Elbowing her in the side, Angelica gave her a scowl before putting a finger to her lip. Trying to mentally tell her to keep it to herself, as the happenings at the palace were supposed to be national secrets, Clarice quickly covered her mouth with an apologetic smile.
"Meh, I would not worry about it too much Angelica. People pretty much assume as much given how infrequently the King appears with the Queen. Not only that, but everyone also knows that King Roland has the largest harem in the history of the kingdom.", I said, as the food was brought over to the table, "We can discuss the topic after lunch…"
Handing the food and drinks out, the stall worker thanked us one last time before returning to his cart. Cracking open our containers, the aroma of spices hit our noses immediately. Salivating as they looked at it, the table became strangely quiet as everyone began eating their meals.