But...
“No, I mean,” Kyouhei began, scratching his cheek. She was a foreigner to begin with, so she might not mean quite the same with ‘love’ as he did. He hardly thought she’d have held the same feelings for ten whole years. “Not a familial love. You know, the one where you’d... want snu-snu. Do you get what you’re saying?”
Pamil blinked. Then said: “You don’t want it too?” Her expression was completely pure as she said that, just like the little girl who had told him she loved him all those years ago in the big white courtyard.
Kyouhei was lost for words. Finally, he let out a: “Let me think about it...”
Even while thinking it was pathetic considering the situation, that was the only answer Kyouhei could give.
● ● ●
“It is time for us to depart,” Walser proclaimed three hours later as he returned with ten or so soldiers at his back.
There was a large truck with its trailer open in the loading bay. If they were forced aboard the truck like this, then no one would see them, and they would be taken to the Manninger Commonwealth.
Damn it, the hell are you doing, Dad?! Kyouhei thought, his father apparently not having noticed any abnormality.
“Stand,” they were ordered, encouraged by the guns.
They couldn’t just sit quietly and wait for Shuuhei—if they didn’t manage something now, all hope would be lost.
I’d rather get shot.
If Kyouhei was to act up now, he’d have to fight in melee range. And in that case, there was a chance that Pamil or Sanae could be shot as well as him.
But...
If we’re taken, we’ll be killed before long... Obviously I will be, but Murata-san will be too. Pamil probably won’t be until she gives up the information... but that’s just a matter of time...
He’d use himself as a human shield and protect them as much as he could. If they still got shot, then there was nothing more he could have done—he had no other ideas.
Dammit, this is why I wanted a peaceful life! I hate this crap, he thought, firming his resolve.
The colonel was likely to do his utmost to avoid Pamil’s death until he had his information, so there should be a chance for Kyouhei to exploit.
He was silent for a while longer, thinking. His target should have been the pistols the soldiers had. They were holding their rifles, and they were on slings over their shoulders, so they would be hard to take.
He looked towards a nearby soldier’s waist and—
“Kyouhei-kun?” came a sudden voice.
It was utterly incongruous; it was just that sudden. A person had wandered in nonchalantly through the still-open loading bay. Kyouhei, focusing on the perfect moment to surge forwards, staggered.
The man who had just entered was paying no mind to Kyouhei’s or the soldiers’ situation as he continued quietly. “Sorry,” he said, “we’re out of soy sauce, can I borrow some?”
The man was standing there in a shirt and loose shorts: the stereotypical lazy-dad’s-day-off wear. The person in question was...
“Hm? Father?” Pamil said.
Indeed, he was Pamil’s father, Dolph.
Now that he thought about it, yes, Pamil’s family was living in the next-door warehouse until they could find jobs. They were usually all out job hunting, so Kyouhei didn’t really think of them as neighbors, but...
The most shocked were the colonel and his subordinates. “Y-Your Highness?!” the colonel groaned. At the same time, the laser dots on Pamil began to waver along with their wielders. “You... You’re alive...?!”
“Hm?” Dolph noised, tilting his head. It was now that he finally noticed that the situation in the Nanbu household was not normal. Like father, like daughter—the airheads were just like each other, in bad ways as well. And then... “Do you have any soy sauce I can borrow?”
“Onee-sama!” came a cheerful yell as the queen and second princess, as well as all their relatives, showed up. The entire family appeared one after another. There were ten of them.
From Kyouhei’s position, he couldn’t see Colonel Walser’s face, but from what he could see of the man’s back, he could tell that he was exceedingly shaken.
Apparently, despite all his knowledge about Pamil, he was unaware of the other royals who had come to live next to them mere days ago. Or perhaps he was aware, but had only focused on Pamil.
“W-W-Why...?” the colonel asked pitifully. It was only to be expected—someone he thought dead had just turned up out of nowhere. More than one person actually. From the colonel’s perspective, it must have felt like the ground was falling away under his feet.
And...
“Ahh?!” cried the second princess, Lorie, her eagle eyes spotting Pamil’s situation. “Onee-sama?! Why are you wearing handcuffs?! Are you thrill-seeking?!”
“Hmm?” Dolph said, looking at Kyouhei, then Pamil, and then Sanae before speaking. “Kyouhei-kun.” There was a long pause. “I asked you to care for my daughter, but as her father, I think that it’s rather early for those kinds of activities while you’re still in your teens.”
“Are you lot stupid?!” Kyouhei demanded. They were all always in full flow.
Walser finally regained his bearing at that point, and pointed to the three with a scream. “D-Don’t move, I’ve got hos—”
“Royal Beeeeaaaaaaaammmm!” Lorie, however, wasn’t inclined to listen, and shot her beam right at their feet, causing a sudden explosion.
“Draagghhhh?!”
The three of them were sent flying through the air.
“You’re awful, Onii-sama! I was sure you weren’t such a pervert!”
Kyouhei yelled as he rolled.
In the next moment, his hands were grabbed by a pale hand.
“Indeed, it was a real help,” Pamil said.