Already on a Business Trip?
…
Today was just like every other day for Lepia.
After finishing her lecture preparations and stepping out of the room, she felt a pair of eyes—or perhaps two pairs—watching her from behind.
While fully accepting those gazes, she sighed inwardly and told herself, ‘Quick, go.’ Sometimes Elroise would appear, sometimes Lavrenti, or both would slip in unnoticed.
By the way, this was something she could tell because they were openly watching.
Given the levels of the two women she had already faced, if she wanted, she could have attached without being noticed. And she herself would never have known until the end.
Yet seeing them notice like this made it clear they simply wanted to say something.
We are always watching behind you, so if you do anything foolish, we won’t stay silent!
“Excuse me, until when are we going to keep doing this…?”
“What?”
“I’m only a student now, after all.”
She had already spoken with her home country and roughly wrapped things up.
Even if bloodline could not be changed, the princess status could be removed by royal authority.
And now the king of Lasquer was the second princess who had ascended the throne a month ago—Lepia’s half-sister, who was now to be called Queen.
- My bloodline cannot be helped. Then, please take away my princess status. -
Although a new king had taken the throne in Lasquer, the stronger the king’s power, the better.
In that sense, it would be ideal if the competitor disappeared. Even better if there were no obstacles in the succession structure.
Therefore, Lepia believed her sister would not ignore this opinion.
After all, the royal bloodline would not disappear, so the status itself would not be a big problem. Only the princess title would be removed, leaving only the legal right to succeed to the throne.
“Huh? So what?”
The problem was Elroise too. And Lavrenti.
They were not guarding her because she was a foreign princess.
They were thoroughly checking her out for other reasons.
“Karl said so? That Lepia-senpai is the same as him.”
“M-me?”
“Elroise and I ate the fish bread from the tail. But Master ate from the head.”
“That’s just a difference in taste… but…”
If so, then you should eat from the head too. Lepia was about to say that, but noticing their faces did not look good, she quietly shut her mouth.
Probably, from their perspective, it had been quite disappointing that they could not see the appearance of being the same as Karl at first.
‘These people… Ah, is one of them not human? Anyway! Really peculiar.’
Why did they cling to Karl so much? Yet thinking of the appearances he had shown, it seemed there was no choice.
Honestly, Lepia herself was secretly glancing at him whenever he went to class.
It had been intense enough to shake the heart from the very beginning. From the moment he flew in and hugged her, to always being there when she was in trouble.
In the middle, he had defeated two knights from the home delegation in a friendly match without even one minute. No matter how friendly it was, the level gap had been enormous.
Yet not noticing that would be even stranger. Naturally wanting to talk once more or at least see once more was only natural.
‘Right. Speaking of which… The Empire is about to send a delegation for the ascension of the new king of Lasquer.’
A new king had entered the neighboring country. Until recently, the Empire and the kingdom had maintained an uneasy relationship. To improve that relationship, they must definitely send a delegation.
The concern was that, because of the recent friendly match, the home country might also hold a similar official event.
Karl had defeated two knights. Even if it was friendly, they would feel humiliated. Therefore, this time they would deploy many top elites.
And like the Empire, Lasquer would request a friendly match to regain some face.
‘Make it even but let Lasquer lose a bit?’
The defeat to Karl must have been big. They had thought those were decent knights, but they had been defeated instantly by a young man, so Lasquer would definitely want to regain their pride.
If the Empire handled this well, it might draw Lasquer’s favor.
“You’re thinking about Karl again?”
“…Hix?!”
“You’re thinking about Master.”
“Ah, no, not really?!”
“No way. You have the face of a man thinking about a guy.”
At some point, Elroise had come right next to her and muttered with a flat expression.
Lepia could not hold back her embarrassment and accidentally shouted “Wah!”
“What on earth is this?!”
“That’s because I like Karl. Rivals are really tiring, right?”
“…Eh?”
What? That confidence. Not hiding it at all? Isn’t it right to hide feelings for someone?
“I feel the same. I like Master. But if you join, there are too many.”
“…”
Truly, truly strange women. In Lasquer, unless engaged, hiding feelings about the opposite sex was the norm.
But openly saying “Yeah, I like you” just did not adapt.
“You two have no restraint.”
“Like saying it? I like him, so I say I like him.”
“Karl-senpai… knows?”
“Yeah, I said it directly to his face. I like you.”
Maybe only elves did this? Hearing that there was a woman who had gone halfway to engagement, even knowing that, was it right to say it so openly?
Thinking that, Lepia quietly turned her head toward Lavrenti.
“Hmph. I didn’t say it openly like that elf, but… I showed at least some hint.”
“Embarrassed? Or does that offend others?”
“There is definitely regret for Selena-nim. But I can’t give up my feelings just because I’m sorry. I didn’t learn that, and I only know that to protect something, I have to fight.”
“…”
“And originally, the one who said ‘if you wait patiently, the time will come’ is none other than my Master.”
Perhaps if Karl had heard this, he might have shouted ‘That’s just shooting!’
But the ones here were not Karl, but Elroise and Lepia.
“Not giving up… the time will come…”
Lepia muttered those words blankly.
These women still seemed weird from her perspective. Yeah. Weird, yet enviable.
It was amazing that they could express it openly. It was very enviable that they could do that. If she had that courage too, it would be great.
“Hey, Lav. The news I heard yesterday is that Selena was carried by Karl a few days ago.”
“…That’s… an envious news.”
“So let’s go and have Karl carry us too.”
“Master’s body might not handle it.”
“Really? If not, don’t. I’m not asking you to carry me alone.”
“Pity. If I had brought a gun, I would have shot.”
…Truly scary women.
*
“Come in. Brother-in-law.”
Now officially a married man. Officially my brother-in-law. The Crown Prince was laughing with his mouth wide open.
Suddenly wanting to tease him, she saw the man sitting in front of her—the Empire’s second-in-command and the one who would one day become Emperor—still acting like this.
“Does it please you so much?”
Ah, damn. Did it after all. Your Highness the Crown Prince. This is not bad intention at all!
My mouth spoke on its own, so if you forgive with a generous heart just once…
“Not bad. Not bad at all. Hey, Karl. Love really seems like a great thing. Recently, it seems I can handle any hardship that comes.”
“…”
Good. The Crown Prince had become a marriage advocate. Glad he married his sister.
More than that, Your Highness. Please never change that word. Later if suddenly ‘Hard because of the Empress.’ there might be rebellion.
“The Empress…”
“Currently talking with the palace people. From now on, this palace will be entirely under the Empress’s jurisdiction. Isn’t it true that you can lead well only if you know your subordinates well.”
I believe she will. Sister is not an ordinary noble girl who knows nothing about the world, but a terrifying person who controlled terrifying people in terrifying institutions.
Future nephews and nieces. Later, you must listen to mom well. If angry, she’s really scary!
“Here.”
The Crown Prince cleared the atmosphere. The private talk was over. Now it was time to return to being a member of the Empire royal family and a noble who dedicated loyalty to them.
“I wanted to have a light talk with brother-in-law. But since we all have our own positions, we can’t do that. You would understand.”
“Of course, Your Highness. I am an Empire noble and a servant of the imperial family, so I will do my best in the duties I must fulfill.”
“Glad to hear that. Count Friedrich.”
What command was he trying to give by calling her to the palace.
“Actually, I want to send a delegation to celebrate the ascension of the new king of Lasquer, and Karl, you need to accompany.”
“…Your Highness?”
But this was not good, was it?
I was a student, but there were bigger problems.
First, he was the son of the famous ‘Baba Yaga’. From Lasquer’s perspective, the Count Friedrich’s son to be avoided at all costs.
Moreover, recently, a crazy guy who defeated two knights from the delegation in a friendly match in less than one minute.
How could I be put in the delegation? Lasquer would probably be shocked what they were doing!
“Ah, no misunderstanding, Karl. This is rather from the Lasquer side. Precisely, it is a request from the new king of Lasquer.”
…Eh?