While having breakfast in the inn's dining room, I looked out the window.
　The next morning, the announcement of the Second Prince's 'death from illness' had caused an uproar throughout the royal capital.
　Newspapers had begun to spread with the development of printing technology, and their extra issues were selling like hotcakes.
　While reading the newspaper, I drank a glass of fruit juice to quench my thirst.

My body was a little lazy.
　Not physical, but mental fatigue.
　It's partly because I was so tense from killing the prince, but more importantly because of my partner this time.

'It's not very well-behaved to read a newspaper while you're eating. Besides, don't you think it's disrespectful to the woman you're dining with?

Naturally, the one in front of me is Nevin, who has been working with me since last night.
　He is still in disguise as he is still in the royal capital.

This is also work. I have to confirm how the second prince's illness and death will be 'ostensibly' publicized.
That's how men always get away with their work, isn't it? But it's nice to have a man who can.
No need to flatter me, I think we should get going. I want to get to the next city as soon as possible.
It's flattering. Oh, well, I'm not very charming.

There is no reason to stay here any longer.
　We'd better get out of this town quickly before they suspect us.

◇

We left the royal capital and came to the next town in a carriage.
　In the neighbouring town he went to the designated inn, where he deposited his carriage and luggage.
　These were to be disposed of by the Duke of Romalung.
　This inn is one of the bases of the duke's family of the Roemarng, and they will take care of the behind-the-scenes work.
　However, since I don't completely trust them, the device itself that was used to assassinate the second prince, which is crucial, has been removed and already disassembled using earth magic.
　I prepare myself and head to another room.
　There, I found Nevan and the Duke of Romalung, who had regained their shining good looks after removing their disguises, just like me.

'Good work, Lug Touahade. I knew you could do it, but I didn't expect you to be so brilliant. It's wonderful. A fine 'death from disease'. An assassin is not suspected of being an assassin if he has nothing to be ashamed of.

The Duke of Romalung was also in the royal capital yesterday.
　When it was the Founding Festival, all four major dukes would gather in the royal capital.
　Naturally, he knew how the death of the second prince had been treated in the upper echelons.

''If you say so, then it seems that not only was it ostensibly announced, but it was also ruled as a death from illness at the top.

The public presentation was sick and dead, but in politics it could be different.
　It happens a lot. Even if they knew it was an assassination, they would still treat it as a death by illness to avoid confusing the public, and so on.

'Yeah, it's perfect. No trauma, no traces of poison, a heart attack in your room. Is that kind of killing possible because of your expertise as a doctor out front?
I don't deny it. Because it is the doctor who knows best how to destroy people, and it is the doctor who decides whether they should be killed by others or die of disease.
'Dependable. And terrifying at the same time. You could make me 'sick and die' too, if you wanted to, couldn't you?
Yes, it's possible, subject to conditions. But it will not be done. Touahade's blade is for the Kingdom of Arvan. And Romalung is necessary for the Kingdom of Arvan.

I can say that with certainty.
　They are doing all sorts of nasty things and doing whatever they want, but there is no doubt that they are putting the national interest first.
　Personally, I don't have much loyalty to the Kingdom of Arvan.
　However, I do like the Touahade territory and Murteau. For that reason, it is necessary to maintain the current tranquility, and I don't want the power of the aristocracy to become any stronger.

'That's an exemplary answer. And I mean it from the heart. You're good, after all. Good work, I will arrange this time's reward as usual. You can count on it. I've put some extra color on it for you.

The usual route is the Roemarng and Touahade back route.
　It's highly secretive and has never been exposed.

'Then I'll take it.
No, wait. I have to ask you something. It's very important, very important.

His tone was gentle, but powerful, with or without.
　Forcefully, my legs, which had been straining to stand up, stopped moving.

'When will I get to see my grandson's face?'

And what jumped out at me was the dumbest line of dialogue I've ever heard.

'I have no answer for you.'
''Well I see. Too bad.
Father, I'm sorry. I tried to do everything I could, but he didn't seem to be able to get into the disguise, and he didn't want to come on board.
'So that's why. When I heard that Nevan was tempting you and wouldn't touch you, I suspected you were a homos*xual. If he was in disguise, it can't be helped. Hmm, I suppose the real thing will happen when the school reopens.
Yes, I'll manage to have Master Rouges' child while I'm still in school.

My daughter spouts more demented dialogue.
　School.
　Come to think of it, I read about it in the paper.
　It was faster than I expected, and they're going to reopen next month.
　I don't hate academia.

Well, I'll be there this time.
Good luck on your date.
'I didn't mean to say that,'
You don't have to tell me.

I often say, you've just done your research.

'Then again, I'm sure your stupid childhood friend will cause you trouble. Still, you should be a friend.

Stupid childhood friends?
　It took me a little while to remember.
　Come to think of it, that's what Nevan had called Noish.
　........Nevan was so worried about Noish that he had gone out of his way to sneak into his party, even going so far as to disguise himself.
　Probably still keeping an eye on him.
　He must have grasped something in that situation.
　And the reason I'm saying this is because I'm meeting her.
　I'm even grasping that she's checking up on Neusch.

'Yeah, I won't give up on him,'

What in the world is Neusch doing?　Before the date, I had one more thing on my mind.

◇

After leaving the inn, we set out for the promised shop.
　A merchant is a hard of hearing, and even if it's my first time in town, I know a good store.
　The shop I chose to meet today was recommended by a reliable merchant, and I'm expecting it to be a good one.
　It was a posh place. It's no doubt a high-class restaurant, but rather than being a purveyor to the rich, it's the kind of place that the average person would occasionally stretch out and use.
　Maybe that's why the atmosphere is warm and relaxed.
　When I told the name of the person waiting, I was led to the back.

'You're right on time, brother Roug,'
Hi, Maha. Long time no see.

My rendezvous was with Maha.
　Orna was also participating in the founding festivities of the royal capital.
　Whenever a shop of Orna's stature comes, people from all over the world call on her, and Maha, the deputy representative, had no choice but to show up.
　She ordered tea for the waitress and cookies so she could talk and pick them.

'You get more beautiful every time I see you,'

Lustrous, near-black blue hair and not large breasts, but excellent style.
　Light makeup and stylish clothes.
　Every time I saw her, she became more and more beautiful.

'Yes, thanks to that, I have a lot of bad bugs on me. I wish I had an insect repellent.
Would you like a male bodyguard?
'I have something more cost-effective for you. Would you be happy to give me a ring to wear on my left hand ring finger?
I'll think about it.

Maha loves a joke like this.
　But it's not a complete joke, it's mixed in with his heart.
　Ring finger or not, I'm sure she'll appreciate the ring.
　I'll get you a nice one.

"I'm surprised you made time for this.
I made it. Just pushed myself a little bit harder. I'm exhausted. I've barely slept for the past few days, and now all kinds of people are pouring in here, asking for partnerships, technical assistance, to open a branch in our town, to help you if you want to be independent from the Valor Corporation, and it seems that everyone wants to steal Orna's products.
Orna is still the only one who can make latex.
And some chocolate, too. It's getting a lot of attention. The other day, a nobleman from another country made a strong request to the royal family, asking them to send him an assortment of chocolates with latex and chocolate, with the name of the third prince.
So I'm a royal here at last.

Me and Maha laugh.
　I created a makeup brand, Orna.
　Its weapon lies in an attractive product that can't be made anywhere else.
　Mainly from my knowledge, they are the mainstay of what is golden and hard to replicate.
　Thanks to that, even those who are desperately trying to copy Orna's products have only been able to make things that can't even be called degraded versions.

However, everything will be copied at some point.
　By then, the immediate goal is to gain overwhelming brand power and make Orna the choice of the same products on the shelves without hesitation.

''So what's going on?''
I blew it out of the water.

I ask what Maha asked for in exchange.

'Geez. How could you make me swallow that stuff?
'That's easy. I tracked down the great nobles from other countries who demanded Orna's goods and found out what they were offering to the Kingdom of Arvan. That's why I've made a level of offer that the royal family just barely thinks it's worth it. Even the royal family knows that we have a lot of powerful customers. I don't want to pressure them. That's why I read that they'd be willing to give up as long as it was worth it.
You're good. You know it well.

This is a very merchant-like approach.
　In negotiations, information is important, and if you know how much they are willing to compromise, you can win.
　Then we heard from Maha.
　Maha seemed to enjoy talking to me.
　You could tell from every word he said that he wanted praise.
　So, I'll give him positive praise while I smile.

Her eyes are sparkling and her breathing is so exciting.
　Seeing Maha like that makes me happy and joyful.

She's doing her best.
Yeah. I try my best. And of course, the behind-the-scenes work. I've done the research on the Countess Grunfeldt and Neusch Gefis, as my brother Lugues asked me to do.

I receive the materials from Maha.
　I naturally looked into the Countess Grunfeldt, the snake demon tribe, and I was also a little curious about Neusch.

''Even if you don't bother to ask me, if Romalung is cooperating with you, wouldn't it be better to leave it to him?
'The intelligence networks here and over there are about the same size, but they are different in kind. You can look at the same thing from different angles and see different things.

What they are using is so-called professional research using agents.
　This one also uses agents, but they start out in the private sector, and more importantly, they focus on information from the merchant's own perspective, such as market rumors and the flow of money and goods.

''Well thank you. I understand most of it. I didn't know Noish would abandon his knightly pride.

Do not get involved with Countess Grunfeldt, so despite losing the duel and promising to do so, Neusch still has a connection with the snake demon tribe Meena.
　It's hard to imagine that the prideful Neusch would do anything to tarnish a duel for the pride of a knight, but looking at the results of the investigation, it's definitely Black.

''Well, it just doesn't seem to be boned up like the second prince. That's what it looks like from the investigator's report.
'Yeah, that's what I'm wondering about too. If I'm willing to give up my knightly pride, I should be the first to question my love of color.

Why in the world would Neusch be approaching that demon tribe?
　Suddenly, Noish's face popped into my brain.
　It's the face he made after losing a duel with Tart.

'Tell me!　How did you get that power, I, I have the power!'

It wasn't out of lust, but more of an urgent, mournful cry.
　No way, to gain power from the demon race?
　That's strange too.
　At any rate, it's unlikely that Noish would be able to notice Meena's true identity in the first place, and even if he did, even if he did, would he rely on a demon race that is the enemy of humanity, no matter how much power he might gain?

...and then he disappeared at the end.
Yes, he's told everyone he knows and his family that he's going to travel and redeem himself. At the same time, the Countess of Grunfeldt is also disappearing.
Do you think it's a coincidence?
Maybe not.

Neusch, what the hell is that guy thinking?
　...I'm also curious about Nevan's words about being friends with his stupid childhood friend, even if his stupid childhood friend does it.

'Do you mind if I ask you to track down Noish?
'I'm working on it. I'm arranging for the Balor Chamber of Commerce to be contacted as soon as they show up in a city with a distribution network.
Totally scary good.
'Brother Rougue trained me and I'm trying my best to help you in any way I can. It's the only thing I can do.

I show her my head and appeal to her to pet it, as Tart sometimes does.
　I do what she wants, and her cool expression fades and she looks like a spoiled child.
　I'm probably the only person in the world who gets to see Maha's face like this.

'Well, that's the end of the job. Let's go on a date.

I care about Neusch, but there's nothing I can do now.
　More importantly, I want to make Maha a little bit happier for doing her best for me.

'Yes, I've been looking forward to this day for a long time.

I hold the slip and stand up.

'I wonder how you're going to entertain me today?'
It's a secret.
'I always get a kick out of being escorted by my brother Lug, he's the best and most thrilling. Hey, I've been meaning to ask you for a while now, is it time for you to be my sister to be my sister and lover?
Maha is family.
'I'm surprised. You're making a lot of progress. I'd normally be quicker to answer. What kind of a change of heart?　Hmph, we need to fold up here.

Maha is in a good mood and sticks around.
　I'm going to escort her today.
　I've made careful preparations for Maha, who has done so much for me.
　And I've prepared a gift for her.
　From now on, I just have to entertain Maha.
　I'd better do my best to entertain her, otherwise she'll do me a disservice.