7. The Prince's Secret
7. The Prince's Secret
Even if it's a foreign country, royalty is still royalty.
If handled carelessly, this could escalate into a diplomatic issue. I closed my eyes tightly and let out a deep sigh.
Marian... I thought we'd known each other long enough to develop quite a bond, but this degenerate pervert bitch has already slipped from my grasp.
A monster I created myself...
Marian, watching my reaction, finally spoke.
"... Ahem. Are you very angry?"
"The moment this gets exposed, I'm fleeing Bellua."
"You needn't worry about that part. The Crown Prince's magical abilities aren't that high, it seems. And there weren't any other mages in his party either."
"So you're saying it's not a crime if you don't get caught."
"Oh! That's a good line, Noah-nim."
I clicked my tongue loudly.
Judging by her words and the fact Marian's expression wasn't that serious, it seemed no major problem had occurred. If I took that as a small comfort, my mind felt a bit more at ease.
This girl probably doesn't get it,
but from my extremely commoner perspective, each one of these events is bad for my heart.
Marian, while gauging my displeased expression, grinned and added.
"Please hear me out first."
Her eyes said there was nothing to worry about.
"...Go on."
And so began Marian's story.
All the worries about how to treat a foreign crown prince were for nothing, as Crown Prince Lucas had apparently holed up in his room in the castle and refused to come out.
The only time they'd met face-to-face was during the formal meal on the first day.
Only a valet named Beron entered and exited the Crown Prince's room,
and the escort knights quietly trained or went into town to procure food and necessary supplies to pass the time.
"But you see. There isn't a single woman in the Crown Prince's party. We even offered to provide female attendants for his convenience, but he firmly refused even that."
"Hmm. Is that really so unusual? I heard the journey here was quite long. The road was rough, so he might not have wanted to bring female attendants. Him refusing your offer could also be wariness towards a foreign country."
Hearing this far, I honestly felt relieved.
I thought the Crown Prince must be a bit timid.
No wonder there had been almost no talk about the Crown Prince after the first day; he must have just stayed holed up in his room. If so, that meant I wouldn't have to run into him before he left this place.
That is, if Marian hadn't brought this topic to me.
I leaned against the sofa armrest and glared at Marian.
"So... you used that crystal orb to peek into the Crown Prince's room?"
"Huhu, saying 'peek' is a bit harsh. I was merely checking on the safety of our esteemed guest. Since he wouldn't come out at all..."
"I didn't make that crystal orb for that purpose."
"Anyway, that's how I ended up hearing it. A conversation between the valet named Beron and the Crown Prince."
We have an eavesdropper here~!
If this gets reported, they would first investigate how it was done, the method being the crystal orb would be revealed, and it wouldn't take long for the origin of that orb—me—to be discovered.
In other words, effectively, Marian and I are in this together regarding this incident. Ridiculously enough.
I motioned with my chin for her to continue.
"The Prince was blaming himself. It seems studying abroad wasn't his idea after all. It appears he was forced to choose between marriage and studying abroad. He said this to the valet, Beron:"
[ ... Beron. When will this study abroad end? When can I return to the Empire? Will I be able to see Mother again? ]
[ I'm sorry. For making you follow me on this long journey too. ]
[ If I had just gotten engaged to the Marquis's daughter from the start... ]
[ I just couldn't bring myself to have relations with a woman... It makes me feel sick to my stomach... Beron, have you ever been with women? ]
I could tell just by looking at Marian's expression.
This girl had the look of someone who'd found a fun new toy.
'Speaking of feeling sick... Hmm.'
That meant, at the very least, he had seen a woman's genitals directly.
Was his first experience that terrible? No. To that degree, it seemed more like he just saw it rather than actually experienced it.
Then, a horrific image suddenly flashed through my mind.
Back when I was on Earth,
I too had a time where I'd be glued to my phone, shitposting on forums in the early hours.
[ ㅇㅇ (24.37) Female Character's Reaction When Groping Alien Tits.txt ]
The visual terror images you'd see when clicking on an anonymous shitpost, reassured only by the lack of an image attachment. Could one develop such trauma without experiencing such an inhuman act of terrorism?
"Noah-nim. What are you thinking about so deeply?"
"Nothing... I was just imagining what the Crown Prince must have seen to have such trauma."
"Perhaps it's a severe case of mysophobia. However, recalling the first meal, while there might be a degree of it, it probably isn't severe mysophobia."
"......"
Marian's story still lacked a conclusion.
So why did she bring this story to me... that part was missing.
"The man named Beron told the Crown Prince he would look for a way to cure his phobia."
"That means..."
"There's no one more knowledgeable about sex than you, Noah-nim, is there? Various positions, various fetishes... Surely someone like you, Noah-nim, who has mastered all tastes, would know a method. The thought suddenly occurred to me."
Just what kind of person does Marian think I am? It seems I'm being highly evaluated in a direction I never asked for.
To place such expectations on someone whose knowledge was solely from eroge until coming here.
Well, anyway, to summarize...
The conclusion is that the Crown Prince is afraid of sex. The Crown Prince probably masturbates, right? He must. If so, the solution might be surprisingly simple.
"Isn't it just about removing his aversion to female genitals?"
Female genitals look different on every person.
Some might look somewhat grotesque, while others might be very neat and pretty. Depending on the amount of pubic hair, they can look unsightly or appealing.
If there are such varied pussies...
If you take a mold of a clean-looking one, for example,
"Couldn't we just make an onahole and gift it to him?"
"... Young lady. I've received much instruction from you, Noah-nim, but 'onahole' is a first. Could you explain it in detail?"
Marian's eyes sparkled as she leaned forward.
I cleared my throat and continued the explanation. Let's talk about that great invention, the essence of modern civilization that has saved countless men.
"Uh... Think of it as a masturbation aid modeled after a woman's genitals..."
"My. So it's the opposite of that... dildo thing you told me about last time. A masturbation tool for men..."
"Simply put, it's a tool that simulates the internal vagina and external appearance of a real woman. Do you have paper?"
On the parchment Marian immediately provided, I picked up a pen and quickly sketched a blueprint.
A long cylindrical structure.
And the protrusions filling its interior.
It was an extremely simplified drawing, recalling memories of the legendary tight pussies I was indebted to in the past. This should be enough for Marian, who calls herself my disciple, to understand.
"So the external shape and interior... must be realistic, you mean?"
"Yes. There are simplified versions too, but in the Crown Prince's case, if it looks too fake, it probably won't be effective. It would be best to model it after a very pretty-looking pussy."
Hmm. Problem solved?
I crossed my arms and answered.
If it doesn't work, too bad. I have no obligation to solve this problem in the first place. Marian seems to think so too.
Marian seemed to be pondering something deeply.
"Hmm... So then, who should we model it after?"
"Huh?"
"Ultimately, the important thing is that we must create this 'onahole' by simulating a woman's 'pretty' genitals, right?"
"Aren't there plenty of other girls at the brothel?"
"When I brought those girls here, I examined all of them. They're all similar. None are unsightly, but none are outstanding either. Do you think that would be enough for the Crown Prince to overcome his trauma?"
My gaze and Marian's became entangled.
What was this girl trying to say?
The other girls at the brothel are meaningless. So that leaves the others excluding those girls. In other words,
... Me?
I frowned involuntarily. Seeing this, Marian nodded.
"If you want to solve the Crown Prince's problem that badly, wouldn't it be solved if you became the model? I am...!"
"Young lady. Embarrassingly, at my age, I am still a virgin... But I, Marian, have become interested in this 'onahole' thing. If it's possible to make a mold of mine, I'd be willing to try, but can a virgin even be a model?"
"......"
I'm not sure about that.
Making a mold of a virgin's genitals who hasn't even had her first experience seemed unnecessary...
As I hesitated, Marian grinned and continued.
"This will be a sort of commission, then. For a success reward... I will give you 200 gold coins."
"Hmm. Let's try sourcing the materials first."
It was simply too much money to refuse.