The Chancellor’s Remark

“Oh, this is splendid.”

Crown Prince Arios raised his voice, and the chancellor also narrowed his eyes and looked around.

The hexagonal conservatory used single panes of glass for its walls, and half of the ceiling covering the room was glass as well.

Of course, if the entire thing were glass, there would be strength issues, so up to around my waist, bricks had been laid to form the foundation, and glass was used above that, but even so, it was worth seeing.

When the sunlight was strong, as it was today, the awning would be lowered to adjust the sunlight entering the room, but in winter and such, it became quite warm.

Originally, it seemed to have been used to grow tropical foliage plants and the like, but lately it had mostly become a salon space, and even now, fabric-covered chairs and tables had been arranged to make it look like a cafe.

“How lovely! Crown Prince Arios, I want something like this in our new home too!”

Mail immediately began making an excited fuss, but I was glad she liked it.

The server efficiently prepared the cakes and drinks, then left.

According to the plan, my knightly order would escort the servers back like this.

I looked around the room and felt relieved.

The seats for Crown Prince Arios and Mail had been placed side by side on the long sofa, while mine, Shitoen’s, and the chancellor’s were at the round table.

Yesterday had been a cold-sweat moment, after all.

I had taken the initiative and decided on the seating first.

Mail sat pressed close to Crown Prince Arios and immediately put her fork into the cake.

After escorting Shitoen and seating her, I suddenly looked at the plate placed in front of the chancellor.

“Your Excellency Chancellor. If you are not fond of sweets, I can prepare alcohol.”

There were several pieces of chocolate on the plate before him. Come to think of it, he had eaten a scone on the first day too.

But the chancellor lightly raised his hand as though stopping me.

“Not at all. I simply cannot have many sweets, but in truth, I am quite fond of them. Ah, please keep this secret from both His Highness the Crown Prince and His Majesty. It is a top-secret matter.”

The chancellor winked mischievously with one eye. Shitoen covered her mouth and giggled, saying, “My.”

“After such a long journey, and with events packed all the way until tomorrow… Are you not tired?”

He probably was not that old, but he looked thin, so I grew worried and spoke to him.

“I cannot compare to Your Highness Prince Saryu, but even I made a name for myself in martial arts when I was young. I gratefully accept only your kind words.”

The chancellor gave a light bow, then elegantly held the handle of his cup and drank his tea.

I matched him and picked up my own cup.

Because there was a small clink, I looked at Shitoen while drinking my tea.

With her purple eyes sparkling, Shitoen held her fork and was excitedly wondering where to start eating.

So cute…

For a moment, I thought tea might spill from my mouth in streams.

Wa… wait, this was strange. Why was she so cute just eating something like this? Wondering what other women were like, I looked at Mail, but I felt nothing. Emptiness. Even if that girl was eating cake, my heart was calm.

As expected, my Shitoen was different.

She was in a class of her own.

She stood out far beyond any woman, and was on a completely different level.

Even something like this took my breath away.

“What kind of cake is that today?”

No, no, I had been staring at her like an idiot. I put spirit into my stomach and asked Shitoen.

“It is a fig cake. Please look at this surface! It is glossy and shining…! Ahh, it feels wasteful to break it!”

As if saying “ngh,” Shitoen tightly shut her eyes and was still hesitating over where to put her fork in.

If she would show me this kind of expression, I seriously considered letting that shop owner live at my mansion. I would make him bake every day even if I had to whip him.

“Prince Saryu.”

It was Mail.

What is it, you? I am about to watch Shitoen eat cake. Do not call out to me, was what I could not say, so…

“What is it? What happened?”

I answered.

“At tomorrow’s ball, will Prince Saryu dance too? With Lady Shitoen?”

While bringing sponge cake to her mouth, Mail tilted her head slightly.

“Well… of course.”

Who else would dance with Shitoen? Then she made a surprised face and said, “So you can dance,” and I felt like throwing her out of the room.

“I think Prince Saryu’s leading shows his personality very well.”

Shitoen looked at me.

“There is nothing forceful or selfish about it, and you always show consideration for me… When I dance with you, I feel very fulfilled.”

As Shitoen spoke, her face grew redder and redder, and in the end, she looked down.

“Um… I selfishly think that I am happy.”

“Me too, me too, me too, me too! I think I am happy too!”

When I nodded up and down vigorously in agreement, Shitoen smiled at me while still bright red.

“I am glad. That it is not only me.”

I am definitely the happier one――――――――――――!

I endured the urge to shout that with all my body and soul. I desperately held it in.

I was drinking tea and eating cake, but this was official duty.

Even though this was a place where guests from a foreign country were being received, if the prince of that country screamed, “I’m happy!” it would become a national problem. The dignity of Tidros would be called into question.

“That is wonderful, Lady Shitoen. You managed to have a happy marriage♪”

Because Mail said something like that innocently,

It was as if I was dragged back to reality all at once.

She was implying without saying it, “Because I ended up with Crown Prince Arios, Lady Shitoen is happy.”

Before I knew it, I had clenched my fist.

Had this girl never even imagined how much Shitoen had been hurt because of that?

Did she still not understand how much Shitoen’s parents, friends, and… the King of Tania had suffered in their hearts?

How could she say something like that?

Words were about to fly out of my mouth reflexively, but I stopped moving at the deep sigh I heard right beside me.

It was the chancellor.

He kept his face expressionless, but dark anger burned in his eyes.

“Mail. Here, are you not interested in my cake as well?”

Crown Prince Arios casually called out and offered Mail a bite-sized piece of cake stabbed on his fork. Mail opened her mouth and went, “Aah♪”

Feeling like clicking my tongue, I poured tea down my throat.

“Prince Saryu, let us eat as well. All right? Your Excellency Chancellor, how about another cup of tea?”

Because I could tell Shitoen was being considerate, both the chancellor and I pretended nothing had happened, repeatedly drinking tea and eating cake.

After about an hour passed like that, Raul came. He said the carriages and security preparations were ready.

Once this pretend date was over, we would remain in the carriages, but we would guide the Luminous party to sightseeing spots.

There were three carriages.

The carriage with me and Shitoen, the carriage carrying the Luminous party, and one more dummy.

At the front was the dummy, second was me and Shitoen, and the third was the Luminous party.

The order of the procession was top-secret, so only I, Crown Prince Arios, and the chancellor knew it.

At the front and rear, and along the sides as well, knights would ride alongside on horseback for security.

We planned to go around scenic spots near the royal capital in order, but we had told Mail, “Do not get out of the carriage along the way under any circumstances.”

“Once this is over, you go to the hot spring first. I permit it.”

I lightly jabbed Raul’s shoulder as he was gradually growing haggard, but just that made him stagger. This was bad… He was considerably tired.

“It seems the carriages are ready, so it is about time.”

When I stood and called out, Mail replied energetically, “Yes!”

Shitoen went over to Crown Prince Arios and Mail and attended to them as the hostess.

Now then, I suppose I should go to the carriage first, I thought, but…

There was the chancellor.

I could not just leave the chancellor alone, and when I turned around, our eyes met at exactly that moment.

“I will guide you to the carriage.”

“You have my gratitude.”

After bowing deeply, the chancellor began walking alongside me.

“Though we cannot compare to your country, our country also has places called famous sights. Please enjoy them.”

When I said that, the chancellor lowered his eyes slightly.

“Though we came here to express our gratitude, we have caused you all kinds of trouble…”

Ah, this was about Mail, I thought, but I could not say, “That is true.”

“No, not at all… Crown Prince Leonias had originally ordered me to handle security.”

“I see. No… however, I believe it was good that we visited this time.”

The chancellor glanced back at Shitoen and the others following behind us.

I was certain he meant Crown Prince Arios.

Perhaps he would say he was happy to see how he had matured, or even cry.

That was what I thought, but…

“I was relieved to see Princess Shitoen spending her days so happily and healthily. This too is all thanks to the care shown by Prince Saryu and everyone of the Tidros royal family. It is a sight that could not be seen in the Kingdom of Luminous.”

I was inwardly surprised that it was about Shitoen.

Moreover, I could not very well agree and say, “That is entirely true.”

“Also, I hear that here, she has brought into bloom talents she could not display during her stay in Luminous. She is exchanging information with the court physicians, is she not? I heard it from the King of Tidros.”

“Well… yes.”

“On top of that, you and your wife are quite harmonious.”

Because he said it as though it had some meaning, I was at a loss for how to answer. Was this that? Was he going to say something like, an heir will surely be born soon, and I braced myself.

Then the chancellor seemed to come to an understanding on his own and nodded several times.

“It is a wonderful thing. By the way…”

Smoothly, the chancellor began saying something strange.

“Prince Saryu, how is your body? Any discomfort?”

“Huh? Me?”

I was bewildered.

No… when we visited Tania, the King of Tania had asked Shitoen, “No child yet?” so I had thought he was going to press me about something along those lines.

Not Shitoen… me?

“For example,”

The chancellor’s voice was eero;y calm.

And yet,

His eyes were strangely clingy.

“Seeing strange dreams, or feeling oddly nostalgic toward someone you should never have met… Or feeling a strange attachment.”

I was struck by a shock so great it felt as though I had suddenly been slashed.

I should not have told anyone… not even Shitoen.

Then why did the chancellor know about that dream?

“Who knows? I have no idea what you mean.”

He had probably noticed that I was shaken, but I had no choice but to cover it up. I laughed it off.

“I am called the Winter Bear of Tidros, but that does not mean I never hibernate. At night, I sleep so soundly that I do not even dream.”

The chancellor lowered his head deeply. His sharp gaze even seemed to trail a tail of light as he moved.

“I have spoken out of turn. Please disregard it.”

“No… thank you for your concern.”

I also gave a vague answer, and from there, I walked to the entrance at a speed that felt somewhat brisk. The chancellor followed without seeming to mind at all, occasionally making small talk.