Stuff like inviting your friends over, partying all night, getting wasted, and wake up with a headache like in the movies were funny. I did experience that many times with my friends. But I wonder how it feels like to wake up with a hangover on a bed with an unknown girl?

***

As expected, I lost. Cherry girl won against me and Sora in the three way duel which happened 2 days ago. Although she knew she won’t gain anything after that, I wonder what she was thinking at that time.

The next day after the duel, I wanted to see her to apologize for head-butting her. However, whenever I see her, she immediately runs away while making a flustered face. I wonder what happened during the duel.

***

Today is a weekend in Marzenthura. Since I don’t have any class today, I decided to invite Sora, his friends and some of our classmates over to my villa. Also, I didn’t forget to invite Ghena, the green haired beauty, and hopefully Cherry girl. Ghena tried to make some excuse because it would be bad if a commoner would join a gathering of nobles, but since I insisted that it would be only a regular barbeque party, she reluctantly accepted.

I asked Petal to clean the pool behind the house and prepare the barbeque set since I’m having the barbeque parting beside the pool. I told Gen to order a dozen kilos of beef, meat, and some vegetables at the market on the west part of the capital. I let him use the horse from the stable of the villa since it’s pretty far.

I came to the kitchen to prepare the ingredients and the sauce for marinating the meat that would arrive in less than two hours together with Gen.

Then suddenly, the bell in my kitchen rang. It’s a sign that a visitor has arrived. When I went to the front door, it was just Sora with a wagon full of bottles of random liquor with brands I never saw before. Judging from the characters written on the bottles, it’s probably from the stores in the Capital.

“You’ve come. But why did you bring so many liquors?”

“Well, it’s my gift for you as a co-noble. But since I’ve invited more than 30 people than expected, I think it’s still not enough.”

“Is that so?”

I guess just a few kilos of meat and beef wouldn’t be enough too. As expected of someone very popular.

“So, where are you going to have the party today?”

“By the pool…”

“You have a pool? That’s cool. I haven’t seen one since middle school back on earth. Let alone use one.”

“It’s pretty cool actually. It uses magic to clean the pool water every day, but the leaves that are blown into it can’t be removed. So I need to let my house keeper clean it every day.”

“That sounds troublesome.”

I then helped Sora bring in the liquors inside the mansion. At first, I didn’t know where to put it. But since Petal already finished cleaning the pool, I had her direct us to where the wine cellar is.

Turns out that there are wines stocked inside the wine cellar, I thought it was already expired. But Sora then said, “Wines don’t expire but gets aged. It will taste good.” And took a wine bottle from the last shelf we believed to be the oldest. I apologize to grandpa whom I never met from taking his wines. But well, he’s already dead.

When Gen arrived with the things I told him to buy, me and Sora together with Petal as the helper started marinating the meat into the sauce I made. Of course, I’m confident that it will taste great since I’ve done it a lot with my friends back home.

In the noon, visitors started arriving one by one or by groups. All of them are Sora’s friends and acquainted nobles from different households. Some of them are of the same age as me and Sora. But it surprised me when a knight in full armor arrived. Good thing he was a nice guy despite looking like a muscle-brain.

I don’t know why, but Sora only invited nobles without peerage, knights, and a few honorary chevaliers and baronets.

I’ve hired some temporary maids and butlers from the city guild office to serve the nobles here. Unexpectedly, they sent me 30 maids and butlers who are beautiful and good-looking ones only. So I guess spending 20 gold coins showed its worth.

“I invited them for you, you see. Since you’re an upstart noble without peerage, I thought it might be best if I help you build a good image.”

“I see, thanks. I was actually thinking about it.”

Sora and I are inside the parlour of my mansion. Together with some handsome and beautiful nobles, we drank liquor while talking with them about random things like politics, businesses, romance, etc.

After that, I guided everyone outside beside the pool to eat dinner.

Unexpectedly, my barbeque was famous among the knights and male nobles. The aged wines from the wine cellar attracted the female nobles because it has a peculiar taste.

Some of them tried to make a deal with me just to buy some jewellery from my grandfather’s collection. But since Petal told me beforehand that those things are cursed, I declined them to protect their lives.

“Sir, I’d like to ask you of something.”

A man wearing flashy clothes walked towards me while I’m drinking.

“I’m sorry, do I know you sir?”

“My apologies for my late introduction, I am Chevalier Writhe Roldenrauf, owner of Roldenrauf Firm. There’s some business I’d like to discuss with you.”

I called a butler to get us some chairs. After having one, we continued talking.

“So what’s this business you want to discuss?”

“I’d like to get directly to the point. I would like to talk about investment to my firm.”

I see, so this is all about money.

“My firm’s supply of magic cores from the Earldom on the east part of the Kingdom’s territory is starting to get scarce. Due to the fact that the monsters with magic capacity are starting to decrease in number, the Earl of the Earldom decided to decrease the shipment of magic cores to the capital. Because of that, I have no choice but to increase the price of the magic cores by up to 60% of the original price.”

“So what do you suggest I do?”

“There’s the Labyrinth City on the southern part of the Kingdom’s territory. Since the King’s law states that every item from the Labyrinth city will have their price increased with the shipment’s tax, I have a hard time getting them because I lack funding. But if I am able to get the next month’s shipment of Magic Cores, it will reduce the price to 20% after the price hike.”

“Isn’t that supposed to be the other way around?”

Sora suddenly butted into the conversation.

“If you stop getting supplies from the East and start getting supplies from the south, wouldn’t that worsen the supply chain?”

I really don’t know much about things like Magic Cores, but it seems to be important for the people here.

Writhe suddenly laughed at Sora’s remark.

“It seems that you misunderstood. The purity of the Magic Cores from the Labyrinth is high quality. If you use Magic Cores from that place, the Alchemists and Blacksmiths can save the trouble in refining them. In their perspectives, just using low amounts of Magic Cores from that place can save you a lot of money.”

“I see. So that’s why most of the best magic swords I’ve seen are coming from the Labyrinth City.”

Seems that Sora was convinced after Whithe’s explanation, on the other hand, I’m the only one who doesn’t get it.

“So, I’d like to hear some words from you sir Chardelier. Do you like to accept my offer?”

Wait, aren’t I missing something?

“What do I get in return in investing?”

“Well, if you invest now, you will start getting 30% of the sales of Magic Cores by the end of the month. If you invest 40% of our average monthly sales, you’ll get 10% of our monthly income. Of course, tax is not included.”

That’s a pretty nice offer. But it seems troublesome if I try to reject it. Let’s just put that thought aside for now. I’ll ask Petal to make a memo about it later.

“I’ll think about it. Maybe I’ll visit your place when I’m finished deciding.”

“Please, I’ll welcome you myself.”

After shaking hands with me, he went and left then started talking to other rich nobles. I pity him since he’s still at my age and already started conducting business.

“Are you going to accept his offer?”

“I don’t know. I really don’t have any idea about what he was talking.”

“If I were you, I’d accept it. Getting hold of such opportunity as controlling the supply chain of Magic Cores is something. It might get you some political connections in the near future.”

“That’s true. It would be pretty wasteful if I just spend the money my grandfather left me.”

But of course, I’m never going to run out of money since Petal told me that Grandfather’s wealth is more than 250 million pieces of gold coins. Not to mention, a hundred thousand pieces of Gold bars. I won’t be having financial problems until I die. But it makes me wonder where Grandpa hid it. Only Petal can access the real Treasury. More importantly, where did he even get that amount of money?

Leaving business matters aside, a visitor of mine came. Although she looks plain, she’s quite cute.

“Welcome Ghena, I see you’ve actually accepted my invitation.”

“Key—no, Sir Chardelier, I apologize for coming late.”

“Why are you calling me sir? Come on, don’t be modest. You’re my visitor.”

I’m really thrilled that my first friend did come despite the situation. But I’m slightly surprised to see her in a maid uniform. She looks like one of the maids I temporarily hired.

Wait, isn’t Sora too quite since a while ago?

When I looked at Sora beside me, I don’t know how to react to this. He’s frozen solid while looking at Ghena. When I snapped my fingers in front of him, he regained his senses.

“Dude, are you okay?”

“Black haired maid...” He muttered.

Leaving him aside, I continued to talk with Ghena.

“Did you try to invite Che—Miss Goldenbloom?”

-I almost tried to say an inside joke.

“I did sir, at first she didn’t want to. But for some reason, she accepted it reluctantly. It’s the first time I’ve seen the mistress panicking.”

That serious shorty girl panicking, I can’t imagine it. Wait, did she just say ‘Mistress’?

“I’m sorry, did you just say ‘Mistress’?”

“Yes, yes I did.”

“But you never said anything about her being your master and all.”

“It’s because you didn’t ask.”

-she has a point.

After a few moments, the door of my mansion opened from the inside. Inside, a beautiful, short, big-breasted girl came out to the back yard wearing a yellow one piece dress matching her golden hair.

Everyone is looking at her, especially men. I mean, who wouldn’t? Those bountiful hills have the power to overturn a country just by looking at it. I hate to admit it, I’m one of them. Although Sora is the only one who’s attention is on another person in front of me.

Is this guy in love or something? He looks stupid.

More importantly, this person is walking towards me with a red face. I think she’s angry at me.

“You!”

“Me?”

She suddenly pointed her finger to me. Because of the height gap, I ended up looking down on her.

“Do you remember what you did during the Bout?”

-what is she talking about?

“I’m sorry, can you please enlighten me? I lost consciousness during that time.”

It must be my imagination but, aren’t the people around us slowly walking towards the mansion? Are they misunderstanding something?

Ghena poked my back. When I turned to her, she came close to my ear and whispered something to her.

“Mistress told me a few days ago that you stole her first kiss.”

“Huh?”

WHAT? I don’t remember anything about kissing this chick! Did she start hallucinating after hitting her head?

“Did you remember how you fly towards me and stole it?!”

“I don’t.”

Wait a second. During that time, I did feel something touching my lips with something warm. Was it that time? No, is it that time?!

“Looks like you finally remembered. I’m here to let you know, that you have to take responsibility for taking my first kiss. You’re pretty audacious for a heretic.”

“Hold up! I don’t know the ethics of this world yet, but taking responsibility for just a mere kiss? Isn’t that absurd?”

“### ### >”

She suddenly chanted after I said that. The water from the pool suddenly slid below me and froze my legs on the spot. She looks at me in a very angry—no furious is the word fitting for it.

“Mere kiss, how dare you say it like stepping into some mud.”

She walks towards me while emitting killing intent. For some reason, I’m starting to feel killing intent from people for a weird reason.

“Miss Goldenbloom, please calm down.”

“Calm down? I’ll turn you into ice.”

SORA!!! HELP!!! DON’T JUST STAND THERE LAUGHING!

Now that it’s come to this, I don’t have any more choice than to do this!

“Fine! I’ll take responsibility.”

After saying that, Sora bursts into more laughter, Ghena’s face turned red, and the people around are whispering things at random. But the most important part here, she’s finally calmed down.

I yield. I don’t care if I become a servant or something. I just don’t want to die yet.

“Why’s your face red, Ghena? Is there something wrong? And Sora, SHUT UP!”

Ghena leaned towards me with touching the ice and whispered something to me.

“The thing about taking responsibility is something very important to the House of Goldenbloom. It’s a very common knowledge among the Nobles.”

“I see, so me becoming a servant of The House of Goldenbloom is inevitable huh.”

“What are you talking about sir? It’s not becoming a servant. It’s about marrying her.”

Huh?

When I looked at Cherry while sweating waterfall, she was fidgeting while looking away.

“Oh no. No, no, no, no!”

“You accepted already, so you have to take responsibility.”

Please someone, SAVE ME!!! I don’t want to get married yet. I won’t let anyone take away my freedom yet!

Answering to my prayer, a cool heavy female voice suddenly spoke.

“I object that kind of treatment.”

Walking down the stairs of the back door, the glasses beauty descended wearing tight silver one-piece long gown. It seems that she’s on my side with this one.

“Matilda Balerishk, the granddaughter of Headmaster Vrethar Balerishk. I’m surprised to see you here.”

It seems that they bear hostility with one another. But it looks a little bit funny because Cherry is a short girl and she looks like a kid getting angry at an adult.

“I was invited by sir Chardelier. It’s a common courtesy to respond to a person who fought the two Saints and managed not to die even if it was a mock battle.”

I’m slightly flattered by her words. If I didn’t see too many beauties for the past few days, I’d inadvertently fall for her.

“#### ### ### ## # # ## ###### ## # #### #### ### >”

She dispelled the > from my legs.

“Thanks.”

“You’re welcome.”

When she was standing in front of Cherry while looking down on her, she continued talking.

“It’s a very shameful act of a Saint to use magic outside the academy with only small reasons.”

“Don’t you use the academy’s rules as an excuse. What’s your reason for coming here?”

Uhm, didn’t she say that I invited her over moments ago?

“I came here to meet some of my acquaintances, and since the star of the party is in trouble, I decided to help.”

So she’s like Writhe whose here for business. Quite unexpected—no it’s should’ve been expected. She’s a glasses beauty.

“Then step out of this, you have no business to discuss with Sir Chardelier.”

“I heard that you were the one who cooked most of the dishes, sir Chardelier. It’s quite rare for a noble to cook, especially for a man. Moreover, it tastes good.”

“I see. Thanks.”

Cherry who was trying to chase away Matilda got majestically ignored using my food as an excuse, poor her.

“Hey! I’m not done talking!”

“Oh, were you? You were too short to notice, my apologies.”

Oh come on! Did you just deliberately taunt her?

“Oh, I see. I’m too short to notice eh. Want me to cut your legs to make you shorter than me?”

“My, is that a challenge I suppose?”

“Excuse me young ladies, but fighting in the Chardelier Residence isn’t allowed.”

Petal immediately interrupted the two. Suddenly, an unbelievable strength drain struck us all. But it didn’t include the ones in the mansion. I think Petal is using the Mansion’s Core to use magic.

Seems that both of them were surprised to that and flinched, they stopped talking at got eaten by the pressure Petal is emitting.

“It’s not good for women to fight, so my late master says.”

““Yes.””

Both of them answered at the same time while shivering. It’s totally unexpected to see Petal to become hostile to anyone with her beautiful face.

The moment Petal left, Cherry and Matilda were able to breathe in relief.

“Let’s not continue this childishness.”

“Agreed. I hope this will be the last.”

After that, they stopped fighting and continued conversing with me. This time, they’re doing it calmly as possible.

“To continue where we left off, I don’t think that it’s a pleasant idea to force someone to marry. Wouldn’t it be rude for you sir Chardelier?”

“Y-yes, it does. And please, call me Key.”

When I let her call me by my name, she cutely giggled and said, “You’re quite the weird one.”

“I know it would be, but according to my family’s tradition, once a man steals a woman’s lips for the first time, she will be bound to him forever.”

Forever… scary!

“So it’s a family tradition. I’m sorry Sir Key, but if it’s like that, I have no reason to object. But I do have one question. Do you want to let her do as she pleases?”

“Well, I do think she’s a good woman--”

It’s a lip service.

“—But I don’t think I’m ready to get married yet. I’m sorry Ch—Miss Goldenbloom, I’d like to decline the marriage proposal. If possible, please ignore what I said earlier.”

Since I’m talking to her calmly, she accepted my words. But please stop murmuring “but you kissed me” while looking dejected.

“And also, I sincerely apologize for stealing your first kiss. What happened between us was just an accident.”

Then she looked at me from below. No, not the puppy eyes!!! Coupled with that cleavage that could suck the whole world, it’s too much! And please don’t cry. You’re making me look like a villain here.

“But I can’t face my family if I did get rejected. This has never happened to our family.”

I’m starting to feel a little guilty after rejecting her. For some reason, Matilda got irritated while looking at her.

“Hey, look.”

When she called Cherry’s attention, she suddenly grabbed me by the collar and pulled me towards her. Suddenly, she put her lips unto mine and invaded my mouth with her tongue.

I didn’t react. No, I didn’t have time to react. All these things happened too fast, I’m getting confused.

On the other end, Cherry’s mouth was opening in shock. I can also hear Sora spraying the wine from his mouth behind me.

When she put a small distance between us, a silver thread was left between our lips. As a side comment, she’s a pretty good kisser.

“Now that I’ve done it, I think your tradition and stuff is overwritten. If I became his fiancée, it means you have no reason to force him to marry you.”

And thus, the party continued with screams and laughter.

With Cherry girl’s announcement as the impetus, and Matilda’s kiss to me, I won the animosity of the single male nobles Sora invited. It’s probably because they’re beauties who’re obviously out of their league.

Hopefully they won’t have a grudge against me. I mean, they did witness what happen. Anyone can say that I was innocent. I’d hate it if I’ll get known as a famous philanderer.

Because of that, I spent the rest of the party drowning myself to liquor to help me make sense of what is happening around me. Since Sora decided to stay for the night, he helped me sort my feelings out by drowning me with more liquor.

But before I passed out, I have a vague memory of a pleasure feeling.