“You want me to help you end your dispute…. Does that mean the Marquis of Full-Flat is here now?”
“Yes. We were already in a meeting before you arrived and we’re currently on a short break. We’ll be resuming the meeting shortly and I’d like you to be there with me.”
…I wonder if I should go. This man holds enough power to openly quarrel with Crane. Honestly, I don’t want to join Crane if it means potentially making an enemy out of someone like that.
In order to save Sophia’s mother, I need the earth dragon’s claw in Crane’s possession. I can’t refuse him.
A short while later, the Marquis of Full-Flat appeared.
Apparently, this man has only recently begun redeveloping his territory following our designs and using our technology. However, even though he only just started, his territory is nearly as advanced as Crane’s territory.
He holds power equal to Crane but could be considered even more influential in the country. He was a handsome middle-aged man, similar to Crane.
And behind him, also similar to Crane, a young girl followed. She was short as well but there was one clear difference. She was completely flat.
“You are the head of the Grances family?”
“– it’s a pleasure to meet you, Marquis of Full-Flat. Please, feel free to call me Leon.”
“…hou~, what’s this? It’s just as you said, Crane.”
“Kuku, were you surprised? But I can assure you, this is him.”
“I certainly was, but this makes things more interesting.”
I lowered my head as they were laughing at something I didn’t understand. When I raised my face, I could see the Marquis of Full-Flat carefully examining me.
“…umm, did I say something rude?”
“That’s not the case. In fact, it’s actually the opposite. Why are you speaking so formally?”
“…I’m very sorry, but I don’t understand your meaning.”
I’m an earl and this man is a marquis. Although, technically, he’s only one rank higher than me, that one rank is an enormous gap. I speak more casually with Crane but this is my first time meeting this marquis.
“…hmm. Do you believe that you’re actually beneath him?”
“I am an earl.”
“It’s true that the highest rank in your family is that of an earl.”
“I still don’t quite understand your meaning.”
I would’ve understood if they told me I wasn’t being polite enough, but I’m stunned to hear them say it’s the opposite.
“What I’m saying is that all the power in this country goes through you. For example, financial power. It wouldn’t be inaccurate to say that most of the gold in Rizelheim first flows through the Grances house.”
“No, that’s not true at all. Last year we had a minor surplus.”
“And that’s after you constructed an entire town and completely redid the highway system throughout the entire country. If it were any other family, they’d be in financial ruin.”
“Well, that’s….”
Alice and I really went overboard. I never even thought about how much the many projects we’ve done would cost under normal means.
“And you didn’t even save the money you received from the capital. You spent it to aid many other territories. I’m sure most of the nobility in this country would gladly side with you on any issue. On top of this, you’ve also gained the trust of Crown Prince Alberto, and he even sent his sister-in-law, Princess Liselotte, to stay with you. Honestly…how are you still just an earl?”
“Well, even if you say that….”
In general, it’s possible to reach the rank of earl with only money and fame. Advancing above that rank requires considerably more. We’ve only just recently gained power and rebuilt our own territory, so it’s unlikely that I’d be given the rank of marquis anytime soon.
“Does it even make sense to you that Crown Prince Alberto would give sole responsibility to someone as low ranking as an earl when it concerns something as important as remodelling the country’s highway system?”
“I can’t pretend to know Crown Prince Alberto’s thoughts on the matter.”
The remodelling of the highway system was something I had planned on my own before ever speaking with Alberto. I even paid for it using my own coin. I feel like that would have the opposite effect I’d want if I were to say it.
…not to mention the fact that even though remodelling the highways cost a small fortune, my house still would still stand to make a profit.
“Hmm…well, it’s fine. You don’t have to speak so formally with me. I’d be fine if you spoke to me the same way you do with Crane.”
Honestly…I still wished to decline, but after noticing Crane staring at me, I decided to agree.
“I understand. I’ll speak more casually if that’s what you want.”
After, I changed my way of speaking the Marquis of Full-Flat reached into his breast pocket.
“Now that we’re on more friendly terms, you really are the legendary Leon, aren’t you!?”
“…eh? That was a sudden change. And you’re calling me a legend?”
“Yes. I’ve heard from Crane that you have a number of young ladies that have become your sisters-in-law and you’re conquering them one-by-one!”
Wait, Crane!? What are you telling other people!?
I turned my scornful gaze to Crane but he was looking away, feigning ignorance.
I wanted my house to become a light guiding this country into a better future, but it seems I’ve become a light guiding all of this country’s lolicons towards their own harems.
“So, Owen, don’t you think he’s the perfect man to settle this dispute between us?”
“Hmm…let’s see.”
The Marquis of Full-Flat said this before turning his gaze to Sophia and Alice. He looked them over before frowning.
…what? I feel bad seeing him frown after looking at them. I was wondering why he looked displeased when a small grin began to form at the edge of his mouth.
“Well, if it’s a man with tastes like him, I feel like he can make a fair judgement.”
“Ah, of that, I have no doubts. He has various types of sisters-in-law.”
They exchanged secretive words between each other that I was unable to hear.
I don’t know what they’re talking about, but…I have a terrible feeling about what they’re about to say.
“What is better suited for the body of a young girl: big breasts or small breasts?”
This is what Crane said…. I couldn’t care less.
“Umm…aren’t both fine?”
How is this the dispute that’s been plaguing their houses for so long? I said something that I thought wouldn’t be controversial —
“I think the combination of large breasts with a small frame, like Lori, brings out the true charm in a girl. But Owen has always held the belief that flat is justice.”
“Naturally! A young girl is nothing but an immature bud herself. She’s still growing and developing and her body should reflect that. Above all else, Pettan is justice!”
I wondered what he meant by ‘Pettan’ but I could see the young girl behind the Marquis fidgeting shyly. I’m guessing that’s her name.
“What is this heresy!? How can you not understand the unbalanced beauty of a big-breasted loli!?”
“What unbalanced beauty!? You just like large chests!”
…yeah, these two aren’t listening to each other at all.
Honestly, I don’t want to make a decision and risk making an enemy of one of them.
I don’t want to, but…in order to get the earth dragon’s talon, I have to end this dispute.
…I’d rather return home and not risk making either of them my enemy even if it costs Elyse her life. But there’s no way I could allow Sophia to experience such sadness…. With that thought in mind, I spoke up.
“Which is justice: big-breasted lolis or flat chested lolis? I can safely say that no matter how many people you ask this, you’ll never get a definitive answer. So this dispute is meaningless.”
I did my best to try to get them to end this peacefully.
“I already know that. But that doesn’t change the fact that flat is justice.”
“We’re trying to determine which holds more justice.”
…these lolicons.
But now I’m in trouble. How am I supposed to answer?
I need the earth dragon’s claw, so the obvious choice is to side with Crane…. However, the Full-Flat family is of equal rank to Crane. I’d rather avoid making them an enemy if possible.
As I was wondering what I should do, my eyes met with Alice. Alice nodded as if to say, “Leave it to me.”
I felt a sense of uncertainty, but…things won’t end well anyway if I can’t decide what to do. In other words, I decided to leave this to Alice.
“You’re both fundamentally wrong.”
Alice boldly spoke up and interrupted their argument.
“Hmm, Alistair. A near immortal being like you could never understand.”
“Exactly. Your race matures far too fast for you to ever be able to understand the true beauty of a young girl.”
Crane and the Marquis of Full-Flat could agree on this. Alice’s words were casually disregarded by them, but she didn’t back down. She grabbed both of Sophia’s shoulders from behind and walked her forward.
Alice pulled up on Sophia’s top, causing Sophia’s chest to lift up and bounce around once Alice let go.
“Fueh~? A-Alice onee-chan?”
“Sophia-chan is an example of a true young girl.”
Alice continued speaking to the marquis regardless of Sophia’s confusion.
I agree that Sophia is extremely cute, but…does that mean Alice is siding with Crane?
And it seems that I wasn’t the only one that thought so.
“As expected of someone Leon trusts so much. She’s actually able to see the truth!”
Crane let out a bright smile as the Marquis of Full-Flat looked as if he just experienced a crushing defeat.
“Both of you seem to have misunderstood. I’m not saying she’s a true young girl because she has a large chest.”
“…what?”
“– hah!?”
This time, Crane furrowed his eyebrows and the Marquis was excitedly awaiting Alice’s words.
“Sophia-chan is not yet twelve-years-old. She gives off the image of a pure and innocent young maiden. Yet, she’s begun studying ways to please Leon!”
“–ways to please him!?”
“Is this true!?”
Crane and Full-Flat’s gaze focused on Sophia. Alice was still holding Sophia’s shoulders, so she was unable to escape and could only shyly nod.
After witnessing this, both of the marquises gulped.
“Fufu~n, it seems you both understand. This is Sophia-chan’s true appeal! Whether she has a large chest or is flat as a board, what truly matters is the difference between what’s inside and out! The charm of a true young girl comes from the stark contrast created by her innocent exterior and the lust-filled thoughts she holds inside!”
What is this girl talking about? But the Marquis of Full-Flat and Crane seemed to understand and were nodding while saying, “ I see, I see.”
If it means their dispute can be settled amicably, I have no problem with what she’s saying.
Besides, I can understand Sophia’s charm better than most. *Gulp*
— I shouldn’t be thinking about that now. And it’s not like I’m interested in Sophia because I’m a lolicon like them.
Actually, the term ‘lolicon’ shouldn’t even apply to me. Children in this world mature fast, and a twelve-year-old in this world looks like a high schooler on Earth. Sophia is slightly younger than that so she looks like a junior high school student.
The difference in age between Crane and the Marquis of Full-Flat and a young girl is just too much for me to think it’s okay. But I’m only sixteen. So it isn’t strange for me to be attracted to a girl only a few years younger than me.
…well, if you consider my age from my previous life…. I should just stop that train of thought. Besides, I honestly think my mental age isn’t that high. I feel like my physical age has caused my mental age to progress slower.
Children in this world start maturing significantly slower once they reach sixteen, so it’s better if I just stop worrying about this.
— getting back to the subject.
Is a true young girl one with a large chest or one that’s flat?
The long-lasting dispute between these two families had finally been settled. The disparity of a pure young girl’s corrupted interior is true justice.
But…they didn’t notice a clear flaw in Alice’s argument.
Even if the difference between the pure exterior and the corrupted interior is what makes young girls so great, which between a large chested girl and a flat girl is most likely to show this difference. This problem had yet to be solved.
Well…it doesn’t matter so I won’t mention it. I still need that claw. If they’re both satisfied then I am too.
Now, I just need the liver and to inspect the guild and the school. I thought these would be easier than settling their dispute.
