--and the afternoon.

"You, Red Rose. I apologize for taking up your time day after day. Thank you for your time today.
No way. As a member of the kingdom, I appreciate that Your Highness is trying to learn about the Kingdom of Elgrand. If I can be of any help to you, please feel free to ask.

　The question-and-answer session in the name of a tea party began with the somehow formalized greeting. I'm not sure if you've seen this before, but I'm sure you've. ...... As for the ridiculous misunderstanding that was discovered in the morning, I explained in detail the troubling habits of the Crester family, gained their understanding, and apologized for causing them concern. Perhaps because of this, the heavy atmosphere that had been hanging in the air for a while has eased somewhat, and the two of them seem to be able to work calmly.
　The usual flow of the meeting is that we enjoy tea while chatting for a while (Yuri and his friends are also responsible for arranging the formal style of the tea party in the afternoon. I'm sorry if this is a burden to you.

"As always, the tea made by the Red Rose is wonderful, isn't it?
I'm flattered by your praise.
How do you choose your tea blends?
Well... I take into account the aroma, taste, and potency of each tea, and blend them according to the drinker's preference.
In other words, this tea also contains the care of the Red Rose.
It's not that big of a deal to say so. In the kingdom of Ergeland, the host of the afternoon tea party is the mistress of the house, so for a girl born into a noble family, blending tea leaves is a form of education. It's not that I'm particularly good at it, but I'm sure all the ladies in this palace can do the same.

　I'm not lying. For a noblewoman, the preparations for a tea ceremony are an important education. The most widely used tea leaves nowadays are from the Count of Kiel's estate, but there are also other tea leaves made from different plants, and there is even a tea called flower tea that is made from only flower petals. Basically, the hostess decides which of these teas to serve to the guests and what kind of sweets to prepare to go with the tea leaves. It's also a great way to make your own original tea by combining several different kinds of tea leaves according to the tastes of your main guests.
　I'm not lying about any of this because ....... It's just that normal people, like Diana, don't listen to the voices of plants that would never be used for tea and come up with blends that would seem outlandish to the untrained eye.

You are truly humble, my dear Red Rose.
No, ......, it's just a fact.
Even if it were true, it's a nice touch. In the event that you're not sure what you're looking for, you'll be able to find a lot more information on the web.

　...... stanza-style social graces are too rhetorical for Deanna to respond to. I just want to play it safe, but all of my responses are perceived in this overly favorable way. I'm used to being misunderstood and having rumors spread about me that don't reflect my true intentions, but this is the first time I've had a reaction like the prince's, for better or worse, and I can't handle it well.

(I wonder if the Prince's interest will wane if I play the role of a bad girl, like the "Rose of Ice and Fire" that people are talking about. ......)

　I'm not sure what to make of this, but I think it's a good idea. ...... The problem is that Deanna's acting skills are so poor that she can't even wear the skin of a noblewoman. I'm not sure what to make of it.

"By the way, Red Rose.

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

"Yes, Your Highness.
"Yes, Your Highness." "It's about the tea party that His Majesty the King attended the other day.
"Yes, what about that tea party?
...... My squire wishes to apologize to the Red Rose for being so rude to her at that time.
Huh. ......

　I'm not sure what to make of that. I'm sure you've heard of it.
　It's a good idea to have a good idea of what you're looking for and what you're going to get from it. ...... It's not as if you've been called a bad girl head on and he's made a good discovery, so there's no need to apologize.

I was not offended by that incident, and I don't need any apology.
"I knew the Red Rose would say so, but Samba, the ...... squire, why?
Oh, really?

　It's important for people to apologize when they think they've done something wrong, even if the other person doesn't care. If it makes the person feel better, there is no need to reject him/her again.
　Today, as always, Diana glanced at the small man who was standing behind the prince like a shadow.

I'll take it, then.
"Thank you, sir. -Samba.
"Yes.

　The squire kneeled down on the spot.

I am very grateful to you, Red Rose, for allowing me to answer you directly. My name is Samba, and I am an assistant researcher under His Highness Exiga at the Stanza Imperial State College.
Thank you for your kindness.

　Thank you very much." As a direct subordinate of the prince, Samba's Elgrande language is really excellent. He is a direct subordinate of the prince, and his Elgrandian is quite good. He is a bit stiff, but he can communicate well enough.

In the past, when Prime Minister Mondria asked me a question at a tea party, I was so surprised that I was very rude to the Red Rose. ...... I am very sorry.
As I said before, please don't worry too much about it. As the Prime Minister said, those who don't think my face looks 'bad' at first sight are so rare that it's hard to find them. No matter how the squire feels, it's never his fault.
No, ...... even if that were the case, it would have been foolish of me as a scholar to have been drawn in by the appearance of a man of uncertain character and to have responded with preconceived notions.
It is enough for me that you have reflected on this.

　The prince trusted his attendant enough to bring him to a small tea party. I thought he would be mediocre, but he has a very good way with words and distancing himself from others. Like Volz, he has the ability to negotiate. I could tell from this exchange that the prince highly valued this talent and had him in his entourage.
　She thought for a moment and smiled.

I'm sure you'll agree that the fact that the squire apologized means that he judged that it was only my appearance that looked 'bad'.
"Is ......!　Yes, yes, of course.
If that is the case, the squire was not deceived by the preconceived notion of his appearance. In the first place, the impressions you have when you first meet someone will more or less be overturned as you get to know each other better. It's not something to worry about.



　The squire was clearly upset with Deanna, who was speaking in a friendly manner with a smile on her face. --If you want to break the pace of someone who excels at measuring interpersonal distance, it's quicker to disrupt that measured distance. Perhaps he has a keen sense that the psychological distance between Diana and himself is not that close. That distance is right, but he can pretend it's not.
　Forever and ever and ever. We can't stay at the pace of the Stanza Empire.

...... I find it more difficult to believe that you are seen as such by most newcomers.

　I can't believe that most first-timers see you that way.

The first time I saw you in the palace, and the time I spoke to you afterwards. When I first saw you in the palace, and when I talked to you afterwards, I never thought you looked 'bad'. You are intelligent, proud, yet compassionate... Every time we talk, I feel that I was right in my impression of you that day.
"Your Highness is buying me. Your Highness is underestimating me. I'm very grateful that you think so highly of me, but I'm not a very good person.

　I laughed, but inwardly I was troubled and half-seriously replied, "I'm not that good.
　At that time.

"...... Hmm. I'm sure you're not the only one.

　In the event that you're not sure what to do, you'll be able to ask your doctor.

It's a good idea to take a look at the actual information on the web.　--Marquess of Bertia?

　I'm not sure what to make of that. In particular, the day after Diana entered the palace, the same place where the tea party of the five "named" people was held. Even though it is indoors, it is open, and the corridors are normally frequented by the entourage. If the Red Rose were to be left alone with a foreign prince in a closed room ......, it was obvious that a lot of noise would be made about everything that was going on, so we decided to use this format to show that we had nothing to hide.

(It's normal to get this kind of flak after a week. ......)

　Rather, I'm amazed that the Peony Faction, which is always looking for fault in me, put up with me for a week. I've heard that Deanna seemed to be having a great time debating with the prince, to the point that it was very misleading to those closest to her.
　--The Marquise Hilda Berthia, one of the side chambers of the Peony School with the second highest-ranking family after Liliane, continues to smile, unfazed by Diana's turnabout.

For the sake of goodwill,......, and so on. It's hard to believe that the brilliant Red Rose would believe such a story.
"Your Highness is learning more and more about the Kingdom of Ergeland every day. Normally, he would want to share what he has learned with His Majesty, but as you know, His Majesty is a very busy man, so he has no choice but to endure with me. It is only out of the desire for true goodwill and friendship that His Majesty and Your Highness have been so considerate.

　While spinning her words, Diana slowly left her seat and approached the corridor where Hilda stood. Rita immediately took her place behind her, and Yuri and Aina moved to a position where they could quickly get between Diana and Hilda in case anything happened. I'm sure you'll be pleased to know that I'm not the only one who's a fan of your work.

"Yes. Your Majesty has a very generous heart. He tolerates the Red Rose spending a lot of time with His Highness almost every day like this.
"That's true. This is also because you wish for a long-lasting friendship with the Stanza Empire.
"Even though it's for the sake of friendship, I'm surprised that the Red Rose is willing to be alone with another gentleman for so long. ...... As expected of the King of Ergeland, he is a man with deep pockets who is not easily jealous.
I'm sure you're right, Master Hilda. You are absolutely right, my dear Hilda. His Majesty loves and believes in us, his wife. --She has no desire to be jealous.

　On the surface, they are smiling and just praising His Majesty the King, but in reality, they are engaged in a fierce battle of words and deeds. As expected of a daughter of an old aristocratic family, Hilda's aristocratic way of speaking is very familiar.

《I'm not ashamed to be alone with a man other than His Majesty every day, as expected of a slut.
How many times do I have to tell you that this is His Majesty's order?
Even if that's the case, the frequency of being alone with her is too high, and the time spent alone with her is too long. Well, since that doesn't make her even a little jealous, I guess that's the extent of her favor with you after all.
Your Majesty is jealous?　That's impossible. Because I am trusted by His Majesty.

　...... A rough translation of the above conversation would probably be something like this. Hilda's sarcasm is out of line, but I agree with her that no matter how much time Diana spends with the prince, Juke will never be jealous of her as a man. Of course he's worried about her as a king and a friend.
　I'm sure you'll be pleased to know that I'm not the only one who's not jealous.

The Red Rose has an extraordinary way of saying things. It's a good thing that you're not the only one who has a problem with this. I'm not sure what to make of it, but I'm sure it's a good idea. ...... I'm sure that the skills you've honed by dealing with so many different types of people transcend even national borders.

　In the event that you've got a lot more than one, you'll be able to get a lot more. I'm not sure if you've seen this before, but I'm sure you've. I'm not going to let the King of Ergeland's wife and the prince of Stanza get into a tussle in the middle of a palace like this. ......
　It's a good idea to have a good idea of what you're going to do with the money you have.

"Master Hilda. I'll take your advice, but please be careful with your words.
"......".
I'm sure you're aware of that. It's a good idea to take a look at your own personal life and the lives of those you love. You don't want to put your loved ones in a difficult situation because of your own rash behavior, do you?
"Oh, ......, when have I ever acted rashly?
It's a good idea to take a look at the actual information on the web, as well as to make sure that you're getting the most out of it.

　It's not like the infamous "Rose Princess of the Blooming Ice and Fire" to try to seduce not only His Majesty but also the prince of another country, and to show it instead of being ashamed of it. I know you wanted to say, "I pity the many lords who have been the springboard for your ambition," but in this case, that is a double-edged sword. In order to accuse Diana of being a bad woman, she singled out the two of them for "seducing both His Majesty and the Prince", which could be taken as an accusation that they are "fools who are blinded by the charms of women and lose their judgment". The reason is that it could be taken as an accusation that they are "fools who are blinded by the allure of women and lose their judgment. Regardless of whether Deanna is a bad woman or not, it is actually very risky to involve high status people in this kind of topic.

(The only reason this has been overlooked in our country is because the radical conservatives arrogantly believe that His Majesty is under their control, and it's too early to dispel that belief, so we just let it slide.

　If it was just within the Kingdom of Ergeland, it would be fine, but when a foreign prince is involved, the story becomes much more serious. If we just let Hilda's words, which could be taken as an insult to His Highness the Prince, go unchallenged in the usual manner, it could be taken that the entire Kingdom of Ergeland despises the Prince of the Stanza Empire, which in turn could put us at a diplomatic disadvantage. In order to avoid that...



"Red rose-sama--

　I'm sure that Mia, who was waiting outside the salon, called out, and Master Magnum, who seemed to be waiting nearby, and several of the palace guards hurriedly approached. Nodding her head, Diana fixed her gaze on Hilda.

"Please step back, Master Hilda Beltier. I will inform His Majesty the King about your behavior and ask for his approval. In the meantime, please wait in your room and follow the instructions of the ladies and the palace guards.
You're ordering me?
It's His Majesty the King who decides and orders what to do with you. And as the first in line to the side, it is my duty to assist His Majesty to carry out his duties in an orderly fashion.

　I'm sure you'll be pleased to know that I'm not the only one who has a problem with this. In the event that you have any questions concerning where and how to use the internet, you can call us at the web site. In the event that you have any questions concerning where and how to use the internet, please do not hesitate to contact us. This is the best that Deanna can do at the moment.
　In the event that you have any kind of questions regarding where and how to use the internet, you can call us at the web site.
　The remaining Master Magnum bowed profoundly.

"My apologies, Master Red Rose. I had to restrict the passage of the corridor.
"Oh, no. Thank you very much for coming at such short notice. I'm sorry, but may I ask you to contact the Outer Palace? I will explain the details directly to His Majesty.
"Very well.

　After bowing once more to Diana and Prince Stanza, who remained frozen in place behind her, Master Magnum slowly retreated. After making sure that the remaining Mia had returned to her previous position, Deanna breathed quietly and turned around.

"Your Highness. I'm very sorry to have caused you so much trouble.
"No, .......

　The prince, who had been frozen like a statue, breathed deeply as if he had just remembered, and shook his head loosely from side to side. He stood up and took a few steps away from the table and approached us.

He stood up and took a few steps away from the table. "...... How can such rude behavior be tolerated by His Majesty's favored princess, the future princess? I was a little surprised to see that it was unthinkable to my common sense.
I'm sure it's unforgivable in the imperial harem of the stanzas.
"In that place, rank is everything. The more favored you are with the Emperor, the higher your position in the harem will be. There is no one who would challenge a person of the highest rank and favor, such as the Red Rose. ...... Even if you don't mean to, you can easily lose your head for a single act that could be considered as challenging.
...... Is that physical?
Of course. Literally, the head and the body are separated.
The discipline in the imperial stanzas is very strict, isn't it?

　I've heard rumors that the harem of the Stanza Empire is a very stuffy place. A single favor from the emperor can change the order of precedence within the harem, and the higher ups can control the lower down by force. In such a world, there would be a fierce competition for favor and power, and it would seem that the concubines would not get along well with each other. But in a situation where one's own life could disappear like the morning dew at the whim of the superior, it is natural for one to try desperately to gain the favor of the king in order to save one's own life, so it is inevitable that there would be acrimony. ...... If you divide the side chambers, even if you force them to be unreasonable or brutal to some extent, their dissatisfaction will be directed to the competitor, not to the one who forced them. This is very reasonable in terms of keeping the "device" of the inner palace running without shortage.

(It's not something we can do in this country, and I don't think His Majesty would want to do it in the first place.

　As Edward said, the Kingdom of Ergeland and strong-arm politics are incompatible. Originally, countries with different cultures, religions, and ideologies have somehow come together over a period of more than 2,000 years under the loose control of the royal family of Ergeland, who said, "Well, you don't have to be so desperate, as long as you don't have to worry about food tomorrow. Rather than restraining them by force, we should allow them to be free, but ask them to protect the parts of the country that are absolutely non-negotiable as the Land of the Lake (Legrand). The more I learned about the inner workings of the country, the more ridiculous it became to think about it. The more you know about the country, the more ridiculous it becomes.
　And so....

In our country, even kings and queens are expected to obey the law. Whatever the crime, it should be discussed in public and the punishment should be commensurate with the crime. That is the only way to maintain discipline in the country.
But ......!　Aren't you annoyed by the rude behavior of the nobles that you saw at the last night party?
I'm not going to be able to be the Red Rose if I'm upset about something like that. And as I said before, I'm used to being called a 'bad girl'.
It's not a good thing to be used to!

　...... The prince is getting very heated. I think we're going to spend a lot of time going around in circles.
　Deanna thought for a moment and--

"Your Highness. It will be difficult for you to calm down and learn more after such a dispute. Why don't we go outside and explore the garden today?　If it's all right with you, I'd be happy to show you around.

　I decided to cut off the conversation gracefully and change the atmosphere. Aside from Deanna, I don't think we can have a good question and answer session if the prince is still in a state of excitement. Fortunately, it seems that the prince is upset not with himself but with Deanna (although that is also a mystery), but it would not be good to end the tea party with the prince of a foreign country in a bad mood.
　I'm not sure what to make of that.

I'm sure you're right. I'll take your word for it, and ask you to show me around.

　He nodded slowly and stepped quietly to Diana's side.




　As a result, Diana's decision at this time was the best in terms of the prince's change of pace - and the worst in terms of the friendship between the Elgrand and Stanza royal families.
　Because...

"The courtyard ahead is small, but it's full of autumn flowers.
"Dear Diana!
"......, that's--

　It was a moment too late when Rita, who was walking anxiously ahead, noticed and gave me a warning.
　I'm not sure if this is a good idea or not, but it's a good idea.



(.........)

　It was Juke and Shayla, snuggled up in front of the flower bed, exchanging a few words.