Shomin no Aji - Chapter 589.2 (Patreon)

I won’t allow it!
"Actually, when there was a commotion in the lobby of the salon building, some kids were thinking about how to make contact with you guys without making any major mistakes like Trinian. They were wondering if they could somehow bring you to their homes.”
Geh, so there were others besides Trinian, after all.

"I prioritized the girls-only gathering today, so I left them alone for now. But I plan to do some reconnaissance tonight and pass on information about those kids to your brother.”

Ruby said as he nibbled on a carrot stick.

"T-Thank you. But please don't push yourself too hard. Keep it moderate. If it's revealed that you have harmed someone, it’s your master, Mariel-san, will be punished.”
"I know. I'll make sure I'm not seen with my concealment magic, and I'll only pass on a tiny bit of slightly unfavorable information to your brother.”

I nodded, hoping that Ruby's idea of "a tiny bit" was indeed modest.
While we have the reliable Sacred Beasts as our bodyguards, I'm worried that excessive defense might backfire. So, I really, really hope they keep it moderate.

"Oh, and there's something else. Since it appears on the outside that Allie have lost to you, they no longer considered her enemy. So, there are some who think, 'Now's the chance to crush her'.”
"W-What... crush Alicia-sama?!"

I almost stood up in shock but managed to restrain myself when I realized Mashiro was on my lap.

"Um, their ribbon color indicating their grade was different from yours, so they must be upperclassmen.”
"Upperclassmen..."

Considering Crown Prince Raymond's age, there are likely several other young ladies besides Alicia-sama who are candidates for engagement. It's probably one of them.

I've been denying being a fiancée candidate for a long time, and I was just starting to befriend Alicia-sama and managed to clear up misunderstandings.

"Just when I finally started to get along with Alicia-sama... nobles are really troublesome..."
"Yeah, they sure are. And just so you know, even if we're here to protect you guys, it's impossible for us to protect Allie as well.”
"Huh?"
"Don’t huh me. We're here to protect the masters we've contracted with. Those around them are just extras. While we may move a bit to avoid saddening the master, if we can't protect the master while protecting the extras, then it's not even worth talking about."
"Ugh..."

Ruby's point is valid.
Kurogane and Mashiro were nodding along with Ruby's words.

"So, make sure to let Allie know to be cautious. If it's Allie, she'll probably figure out who the other party is and handle it cleverly.”
"I understand."
"I wanted Mariel to warn her, but she stubbornly refused, saying, 'There's no way I could say such a thing to Alicia-sama!'"

With that, Ruby said his goodbyes, hopped off the sofa, and left.

Even though he said he can't protect anyone other than his master, the fact that he’s giving me this warning means he must also care about Alicia-sama’s wellbeing.

But still, crushing Alicia-sama...?
I won't forgive anyone who tries to harm my newly formed friendship!

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