Chapter 49
Just like the companions of protagonists in the fantasy novels I mainly read, the male leads in the romance fantasy novel The Youngest Daughter of the Count's Family each have their specialties and roles. Hottie A protects the heroine, Hottie B provides the funds, Hottie C handles the chores, Hottie D wields power, Hottie E lends connections... Through their complementary strengths, 'Anjilina Chimac' becomes a perfect human who knows no failure or surrender.
"Amolrang Baron. What do you want me to do?"
"Take care of the nursery kids in our new home."
"I've always been the one looking after the younger ones."
"Think of it as a debt, and pay it back after you become king."
"...Understood."
In the future, the boy who would become king of the desert kingdom played the role of the heroine's lawyer. He handled the important task of looking after the other men so they wouldn't feel neglected when she overlooked them. How? For example, when the heroine brought in a new hottie, the boy would explain on her behalf why it was unavoidable. If the person involved (the heroine) explained it, it sounded like a lame excuse, but coming from a third party, it rang true as an objective fact.
'But even that's got its limits.' From now on, every time the heroine added a new hottie, she'd have no choice but to brazen it out with excuses and shamelessness.
"Lady Valentine. Please make arrangements for these people to settle safely in the Somac Duchy. Include the letter I'm sending to the duke."
"Yes. I'll secure carriages for transport and mercenaries for escort right away."
The work had to be swift! They needed to be shipped off to the Somac Duchy before the heroine noticed anything amiss.
'Alright, now...' Erasing the boy—who she wouldn't need to worry about until the desert kingdom's civil war ended—from her mind, she headed toward her original goal in Chimac County, which was no different from enemy territory.
"To the tavern."
Time to provoke the prince.
* * *
I'd heard that Hottie K fell in love with the heroine at first sight upon seeing her grace! ...Repeating the same development with only the names and looks changed would bore readers to tears. So the author of the romance fantasy novel The Youngest Daughter of the Count's Family varied the reasons why the hotties obsessed over the heroine...
The guard knight was the son of a vassal. The fiancé was betrothed in the womb. The emperor shared childhood memories. The boy came from nursery volunteer work.
...And the prince? While traveling in disguise as a commoner, he got into trouble and received the heroine's help.
'I hope the patient pulled off imitating the original protagonist well.'
I took my seat again in the tavern the prince favored.
* * *
Like politicians doing "commoner experiences" during election season, even the obviously noble prince played the part of a commoner. And like those politicians making tone-deaf blunders during their commoner stunts, the prince did the same...
"Lady Valentine. What do you think of this country's heir?"
"Hm... I've never met him, so judging by rumors, he seems outstanding in many ways and popular with the ladies."
"That's true."
The novel's author had nailed down the 'prince's' character setting that way. However,
"This prince has a terribly warped sense of money. And he has no eye for people."
That was true too, and you could tell right away from the episode where the prince and heroine 'happened' to meet.
On her way to the nursery, Anjilina Chimac stopped at a bakery to buy bread for the kids and spotted a strange customer... The handsome young man was trying to pay with a gold coin worth 500 times the bread's price and insisted on no change?
"Hm. Sometimes nobles refuse change from commoners either because they disdain it or to flaunt their wealth."
"Anjilina Chimac apparently didn't like that."
The prince countered that refusing change meant the baker profited extra, so wasn't it a good thing? And the heroine lectured him on the value of earning money through honest effort...
"I get the money sense part. But where's the evidence he has no eye for people?"
"That's the next part."
No matter the commoner disguise, a national heir traveling alone was suicidal. So besides the guard knight tailing from afar, there was a noble friend of similar age traveling close by...
"That friend was the problem, right?"
"Exactly. He'd take money from the prince for travel supplies, then skim a little off the top."
And the prince never noticed his 'retainer's' embezzlement until the heroine pointed it out. That's what 'no eye for people' meant!
The author used this to make the mere nobleman's daughter shine, but at the cost of giving the prince a fatal flaw.
"That's serious. The prince didn't suspect betrayal from his closest aide..."
"Shocking, right?"
"...Amolrang Baron."
"Yes."
"In your eyes, what kind of knight am I?"
"I'm no judge of kings, so I wouldn't know. But I trust Somac Baron's eyes, so I don't doubt Lady Valentine's loyalty."
"How humble."
"Just stating facts."
Among the hotties in the romance fantasy novel The Youngest Daughter of the Count's Family, the only one with an 'eye for people' was the heroine's fiancé, Somac Baron. Even I, a plain Earth culture citizen, was no exception.
"Baron. The prince is coming."
Valentine's squire, who'd been scouting outside, whispered the info.
"Alone?"
"Brocollin Baron's with him."
"...An odd pairing."
He was the son that Brocollin Count, prime minister of the military kingdom, boasted about. Brocollin Baron had a hobby of ribbing the prince over his poor money sense, so their relationship was far from good. They were love rivals too.
Yet drinking together? 'This isn't normal.'
They should be too busy trash-talking each other to fight over Anjilina Chimac's love...
For now, she'd watch the situation.
Screeech—
"Whoa! Come on in, sirs!"
"The strong stuff today, please. Usual snacks."
"Right away! Take a comfy seat!"
The two hotties entered, quickly ordered from the bartender, and sat facing each other in a dim corner. She wanted to eavesdrop naturally, but their voices were too low.
'What to do?' If he'd come alone, she'd have approached without hesitation, but this wildcard of tagging along with a rival he wasn't close to nagged at her.
"Lady Valentine."
"Yes."
"Unlikely, but if trouble starts, don't save me—escape."
"I can't do that. The duke ordered me to protect you, Amolrang Baron. Even if it costs my life."
"Hm. Then could you play along a bit?"
"Anything but escape."
"Be my wife."
"Pardon?"
"A desperate bachelor can't ignore advice from a married man."
Especially from a senior who'd snagged a beauty rivaling the heroine!
"Won't they notice?"
"Don't worry. They have no eye for people."
They kissed quickly.
* * *
"Excuse me! Gentlemen, mind if we join? First round's on me if you say yes!"
"Wrong people."
"Try someone else."
The prince and baron made their refusal clear, but she pressed on shamelessly.
"Haha! Give me a little leeway. My wife's got few chances to live it up 'cause I'm such a nobody."
"I said twice—"
"We... uh..."
The two hotties pining for the heroine froze the moment they saw my 'wife' (fake).
Having lived lives of luxury among royalty and nobility, they'd seen plenty of beautiful noblewomen. But maybe they never expected to encounter one like her in a dingy tavern? Curiosity lit their eyes.
"Honey, don't be pushy. It's rude to men who said no."
Honey! A coquettish voice laced with enough allure to make even Somac Baron, ever mindful of family gain, cheat on his fiancée. Valentine, playing my wife, hooked her arm in mine and tugged lightly.
'...Lightly?' She nearly dragged me away.
"Ahem! Sit."
"No refusal meant."
The two who'd started with rejection welcomed us gladly.
"Thanks."
"Thank you, honeys."
"Ahem!"
"Hrmph!"
They said a woman's transformation was innocent, but Valentine was overdoing it.
'Same person?' Looks unchanged, but expression and speech totally different. She'd pass for split personality. Actress material.
"Are you two married?"
"Yes."
"Tied the knot with honey last year. No news on kids yet."
Valentine leaned her head on my shoulder, flaunting affection. Thump-thump! Knowing it was acting, my heart still strained.
"So envious..."
"You suit each other..."
The two hotties, struggling to hold onto love amid fierce rivals, blessed us with bitter smiles. Single as hell, from the vibe. Still, I played dumb and poked their wounds!
"You two married?"
"Not yet..."
"Couldn't."
We feigned surprise and comforted them.
"Oh! Chin up."
...That all? Valentine showed zero sympathy for the love-obsessed duo.
"Haha! Even a plain guy like me scored a beauty. No reason two fine gentlemen like you can't."
"Not so."
"Easier said."
Rivals in love for the same woman, they glanced sidelong and clammed up. Uncomfortable, they changed topics.
"How'd you two meet?"
"One day getting sword lessons from my knightly father-in-law, I fell for her at first sight."
Truth laced with lies! Valentine's restrained moves and callused palms weren't common for ladies. But a knight's daughter? It dispelled suspicions and cleverly hid our fake marriage.
"Milady. If I may, what drew you to your husband?"
"That's—"
"Shh! Question's for the lady."
We hadn't rehearsed this, so I tried cutting in, but they shut me down.
'Uh oh?' Mocking my worry, Valentine answered smoothly.
"He never gives up despite lacking talent. Never arrogant despite overflowing with it. But that's not why I chose honey."
"What is?"
"We're dying to know."
"At some point, he was the only man I could see around me?"
"......"
"......"
Stunned by her reply, the two hotties froze like ice.
"What could I do? Had to marry this honey."
"Haha! Don't misunderstand. Superior gentlemen like you graciously stepped aside."
"......"
"......"
Prince and Brocollin Baron bought none of it. Proper audience posture.
"I wanted her to see only me, like I see only her."
"Honey's like that. Won't let me even glance at handsome guys if he doesn't whine like this."
"'Cause I love you."
"So she married me."
Valentine exceeded expectations.
'You guys think so too, right?'
Clink! Clink!
The prince and Brocollin Baron downed their remaining beer, then stood.
"Lots to do, so we'll head out."
"Thanks. Enlightening chat—we learned much."
We blessed their departing futures.
"Lady Valentine. Cheers?"
"Bit tipsy... Water okay?"
"Of course. To those two finding wives! Cheers!"
"Cheers. For the baron..."
Stimulated by the tavern couple, the prince declared war.