--Klingbloom residence.

...... This is going to be messy.

　I'm not sure if it's a good thing or not.
　In the event you're not a daredevil, but you usually eat everything you're served, Richter unusually left more than half of his dinner on the table.

　A plate, a cup, and some papers.

　As a "nobleman," Richter had always said that eating while working was outrageous.
　Mion, who was already behind him, knew that something serious was going on.

However, you should eat as much as you are moving. If you want, I'll take care of the small stuff.
"I've already taken care of the really small stuff. I'll just have to look over the rest.
But ...... you're in trouble. Do you want me to mix you some sleeping pills?
At least say it when I'm not around, precriminal.

　He sighs at the anxious look on his face as he looks over the scrolls and slurps his food.
　The later it got, the fuller he felt, and the more his body was giving him, the more he was forcing himself to consume the nutrition he needed.

　In fact, the accumulation of work was not the only reason for his anorexia, which was also the reason for Mion's anxiety.

"Step down from the position of Lord Treasurer, huh?

　The words muttered. The worries he had.
　This was the most depressing thing he could think of right now, as he finished putting the Lord Treasurer's signature on the scroll he had finished reading.

Foolishness. I'm not sure who else would be able to fill this position.
"Mion ......
"In the sense of being the princess's plaything.
Mion ......

　I think it's time to fire this man.

　Just pondering with a blatant sigh.
　What this man is saying is not entirely wrong.
　The princess, whom he had considered so dangerous and hostile. Richter is convinced that her fears have come true and that she is in fact a "wicked man".

　But despite this, he was still playing right into her hands.

　No.
　Rather, it would be more appropriate to say that he was embraced by her because he considered her dangerous as a "scoundrel".
　The internal split in the "aristocracy" is causing Richter's power base to wobble.

"I am...

　I put down my cutlery and opened my mouth as if to monologue.

I don't trust my men or my people. If you want to turn your back on them, that's fine. Whatever the reason. In fact, it's my fault that His Highness is filling in the outer moat like this.

　I'm only taking care of you because you said you'd follow me.
　That's Richter's way of being a "nobleman."

　If you want to leave, that's fine.
　It is the right of beings above animals to feel indebtedness.
　If you want to leave it behind, that's fine. If you want to discard it, that's fine.

I know that.
So you can leave whenever you get tired of me.
That's impossible.
Oh, yeah. ......

　Well, it's hard to imagine Mion leaving Richter's service now.

　Don't worry about her.
　The fact that a number of noblemen are now leaving Richter's service is not a concern or an unfounded fear, it is just a fact.

　There are many reasons for this.
　But the most important one is the existence of the terrorist.
　More noblemen than the fingers of one hand were burned in their homes simply because they were Richter's relatives.

　"The terrorists say it's a warning to anyone involved in Spectacula.

　Their actions against Richter, who was working with Lilac on this project, certainly frightened the nobles around Richter.

　It's no wonder. The next time, it might be your house.
　There was only so much fire fighting an individual could do.
　I'm told that the other side is using explosives in a spectacular way. I suppose it's not worth the effort.

　Fortunately, the commoners only seem to know about it as a rumor, but it is now a common rumor in social circles.

　The rumor is that...

"Dark forces working for the restoration of the Emperor.

　And so on.
　The truth is that much of His Majesty's real power has been lost over time. Most of them were the result of his own actions that backfired, so everyone naturally accepted them.

　However, if we look back, we can see that His Majesty no longer has anything.

　As a symbol, she stands at the top of the nation, but even that is more recognized than the lilac.

　In such a situation, it is not surprising that there is a segment of the population that does not feel good about Lilac, who has completely established the economic foundation of "Spectacula.

　Even though his own father is in that situation, he is still prioritizing what he wants to do. It's working too well.
　Richter was aware of the existence of royalty and aristocracy who said "little girls" in addition to mere righteous indignation.

　But still.
　They are only talkers. No matter how much they complained, there was nothing they could do. Richter was pessimistic, thinking that Lilac would take care of them before he knew it.

　Their presence could also be a countermeasure to the princess if used properly.


　But what good would it do to antagonize the princess now?

　It's a pure fact that Richter can't run Spectacula by himself.

"Mr. Gracial?
"...... Well, he's not one of my men. He's never been one of us. He's never been a comrade.
Do you believe him?
I don't know.

　Rumor's source. At least, it is Gracile who is spreading the propaganda to get rid of the Lord Treasurer.
　I don't want to talk about his feelings at this time, but I understand his aspirations.

　We both saw the princess as a danger.
　We can't have her expanding her power base any further than she already is, and that's where Lord Treasurer Richter L. Klingbloom comes in.

　I don't know how they are going to install the next Lord Treasurer after Richter is gone, but I have a feeling that Gracial will be able to do it all with effort.

　That's how much Richter liked Gracile.

　He took a wrong turn.
　Now that Richter is working with the princess, he can't go back to being an aristocrat.

　We know he's not a man driven by emotion, because he's upset about it.
　There is some kind of breakthrough, some kind of plan, and Gracial is now working to kick Richter down.

　I don't know if he's simply taking advantage of terrorism, or if he's working behind the scenes. It's frustrating that they don't show their tails more often.

"I don't know much about the details of ......," he said.

　And. The voice.
　When I looked up, there was another one. The guard was much quieter than usual. The girl was not begging for food or lounging around, but smiling gracefully as she proceeded to eat at a nearby table.

You don't know how to talk to him, do you?
I'll talk to him. I'll talk to him, and if I don't think he's good enough, then I don't care. But you don't know until you talk to him.

　I'm talking about me. I'm not talking about her.
　I tell myself that, and I answer.

"Yes.

　She nods with a fragile smile, whether she understands or not.
　She nods with a fragile smile. Will I be able to stand on my own again, no matter what form it takes? While Richter is thinking about this, she points to his plate and says.

And you have to eat properly.
That's none of your business.
Oh, that's not fair. I'm worried about you.
Even more so.

　--Apparently, he had regained some of his strength.

　He still didn't seem to have the will to hold the spear, but Hura had told me at lunch that he had saved one of his daughters, which made me almost laugh.

　No matter what condition he was in, he would try to save others.
　That's the only thing Richter ever admitted to me. I won't say it.

"...... Mr. Richter.
What's wrong?

　As he continued to eat his meal, Mion, who was exchanging words with a chambermaid from outside the dining room, asked Richter a question.

　It's not that I don't want Prim to hear about it, but I'll let the landlord hear about it first. It's standard procedure.

　If only he hadn't said unnecessary things, he would have been a good subordinate, but inwardly I felt naïve when I heard that he had a visitor.

He told me he had a visitor. "What? I just consulted with the ham hog the day before yesterday. Did Loosegood's guy come to complain about the low deposit?　Or is it... Did the guy who left me come by to say hello?　Or to ask me to step down as Lord Treasurer--
"No nobleman has the guts, sir." No, but Izna Sienzan is here.
...... Why?
So?

　Richter tilted his head.

　Speaking of Izuna Sisiemczan, she had a memorable fight at Spectacular.
　There is no direct connection to Richter.
　At best, they are friends who might meet again in the arena.

　However, Mion's eyebrows furrowed, and he continued in an unusually serious manner.
　This time, Richter's expression twisted as he listened.

"You're looking for ...... Mirabelle G. Gringott?　













　--Castle King. Huta's private quarters.

　The only sound in the room was the clapping of hands.

　Viciedo looked at the sleeping girl and shook his head somberly.

I'm glad you're okay.
"Yeah. No, thank you. Did you know Corona?

　Huta asked as Viciedo stood up, and he gave a relaxed affirmation.
　When he looked down, there was a peaceful girl sleeping.

"Yes. I've been in the castle a few times. I've been treated like some kind of rare creature in the castle, if I do say so myself.


"Curious Creatures: ......

　A maid with a strong habit of running around the king's castle with excellent skills.
　I'm not sure if it's a good thing or a bad thing.

　It's a good idea to have a good idea of what you're looking for.

That's why I can't stand it.
We can only hope that he gets better.
"Well. You're a strong man, aren't you?

　I'm sure you're very strong." Huta cowered, and Viciedo raised the corners of his mouth with a wry expression.
　You seem to be very depressed.
　It's not unreasonable to think that if you have a connection with Corona, you might be right.
　I'm not sure what to make of it, but I think it's a good idea.

"Will you be staying here for a while, Futa-dono?
"Well, this is my room... But yes. I'll keep an eye on Corona. Master Lilac is busy.
I'm sure he's at ....... I'm sure His Highness is always busy.

　He nodded, "Okay. He gave her the fruit basket, told her to do as she pleased, and turned away.
　There was no particular reason for him to stay long.

　And then...

"Oh, Lila?
"........................?
What's with the hoarse voice?
No, it's normal.
What?

　There was another maid, Viciedo thought as he turned around and froze.

"What about ......?

　He hid his mouth. She's got a different hairstyle.
　But she's a princess for all intents and purposes.

"Nice to meet you, Mr. Viciedo. I'm Rilla, a recent recruit, courtesy of the princess.
"Ha, ha. ......

　There was a strong pressure in her eyes.
　I'm not sure if it's a good idea, but it's a good idea.

　It's a good idea to have a good idea of what you're going to be doing and how you're going to do it.
　Because.

"Why don't you go ahead and eat a little, Viciedo-san. It would be sad to just bring it and say goodbye.
"...... You don't mean...
What?　Lilla, can you do that for me?
Yes. I'm not very good with a knife, sir.

　You're very good at it.
　But I'm not very good with knives.
　Viciedo would understand if he was put in this situation.

　The idiot who is waiting there for the fruit to be peeled with an optimistic look on his face has no idea who is in front of him.

　It's possible. ？？？？
　I don't know," Viciedo said, tilting his head.

"Are you and ...... Lilah on good terms?
Hmm?　I don't know what Rilla thinks of me. I don't know what you think of me, but I'm really indebted to you. She's been coming to see me a lot lately.
"Often ......

　This is what I mean when I say I'm in awe.

"It's not so much that I'm taking care of you that much. I'm glad you like it.

　Lila smiles and sits in a side chair, peacefully peeling an orange. I'm not sure if you've seen this before, but I'm sure you've seen it before.

"...... I see.
What's going on here?
What's going on? If you have a fever, you might want to go back to your room and rest.
No, thank you, it's .......

　I almost used the honorific.
　For Viciedo, who had never been good at theatrics or concealment, this space was a sudden hell.

　You'll be able to find a lot more information on the web.

It's the first time Viciedo has met Lira.
"Well, ...... it is, isn't it?
You must be surprised. He's just like Lilac.
Yes, he does.

　That's him.
　The words are still sitting quietly in a triangle at the bottom of my stomach.

But...

　He smiled loosely and looked at Lira.


　I'm not sure what to make of it, but I think it's a good idea.

I'm not sure if I'm nervous or not.
"Mister Futa!
"No, you know. The other day, he was forcing himself to pack up his laundry and turned it upside down.
Oh, that was ...... a lot of things, a lot of things!

　There's no way she could have said, "I was confused because my underwear was mixed in, so I piled up my other clothes and tried my best not to look at them.
　I'm sure you'll be able to find something that will help you get through the day.

......

　I'm not sure what to make of this, but I think it's a good idea.

　I guess it's a favor.
　I know it's pure goodwill, hoping that the two of us who first met in the castle will get along.

　I also understand that he is trying to show me that Lilac and I are similar only in appearance, but we are completely different on the inside.

　But it's him.

　A lot of things were swirling around in Viciedo's mind.
　It's understandable. He'd seen her since she was a child.
　And yet, here she was, looking at him for the first time.

　It's a strange story.

　So Viciedo closed his eyes and said.

"All this talk of failure is making me nervous.
"What?

　Lilac, who hadn't expected him to take advantage of her, spilled the words.
　But Futa shook his head as if realizing his own failure and held up a finger.

　It was Rila who had a bad feeling about this.

It's true that Corona is better than you in terms of workmanship. I'm sure she has more experience.
"Hmm.
But you know what? It's not that she's not good at her job. It's not that you can't do your job. It's just that she's not as good as Corona.
I see.
Yeah, I see.

　It's too uncomfortable.
　Futa took one look at her, grabbing her apron tightly and enduring.

　He thought back to the way Rila had been.
　The way she cooked with kindness, the way she did her best to take care of the household even though she seemed to be unable to leave it alone.
　Her smile was gentle and cute.

　I was trying to describe it all, but I couldn't decide how to express it.

　Oh, I see. Futa was convinced of one thing.

I think you'd make a good wife.
"Well...

　I hope you'll get married and start a happy family.
　I hope you'll marry her and make a happy family.

　I'm sure she'll make a good wife.

　Viciedo exhaled a deep breath, as if letting out all his feelings.

"I see.
Yeah.
...... I see.

　He smiled loosely and stood up slowly.
　I'm not sure why, but Futa also smiled softly at the gentle, peaceful smile that was so different from the one he had when he first arrived.

　It's a good idea to have a good idea of what you're looking for.

I'm going to go to ...... now. Thank you Futa-dono ...... Rila-dono.

　After thanking the fruit, he walks out the door.
　The door slammed shut. Now, looking back at Lira, Futa tilted his head.

"...... What are you doing?
"...... No, ...... not ...... at all.

　I'm not sure if you've heard of it or not, but I have.
　It's no surprise that her face is red.

　The first thing you should do is to look at your eyes.

It's a good idea. I'm not sure what to say.
I'm not sure. I've never even thought about .......
The first time I saw him, I was like.
...... Yeah, I guess.
I see. Sorry.

　I thought that every child who has lived a peaceful life imagines at one time or another that he or she will become a parent or be married to a lover.

　I thought that every child who has lived a peaceful life would at one time or another imagine becoming a parent or having a lover.
　Somehow, I had already guessed this from her daily behavior.

　She shook her head loosely, put her hand on the doorknob to leave the room, and froze.

"Rilla?
Or .............

　You can't see her face because she's lying face down and has her back to you most of the time. The only thing that tells you that she is who she says she is is the slightly crooked ribbon on her pretty apron dress.

"............ was a bit of fun.


What? Oh.

　That's all he said, and then he left.

　Futa, who was left behind, slowly lowered his outstretched hand and thought.

　Finally. I felt like he was laughing.

　I felt like he was sad.


　He said it was fun. It was as if he was saying there was no such future.







"Viciedo.

　It was the evening of that day when Viciedo walked down the corridor and a voice came from behind him.

"...... Ah... Your Highness.
"Don't tell anyone about lunch. That's all.

　The same blank expression. She was dressed in a dress, with her usual grace and dignity.

　Only.
　Viciedo had only one question.

"Your Highness.

　He called out to her to stop her as she walked past.
　She doesn't look back, just stops, and Viciedo tells her.

"Do you ever think about your own happiness, ......?

　--Do you?
　I'm sure you're thinking about it.
　It was a question he had expected.
　She slowly, half-turned around.

It's not possible.
"For ...... the country, you mean?
Yes. Isn't that what royalty is supposed to do?
............ Yes.

　For the country.

　It was hard for Viciedo to tell whether he really meant it or not.
　However, the question that Viciedo wanted to ask was answered clearly.

　"I'm not going to be your wife.

　That was a very sad thing for Viciedo, the king's knight.