Oh, Seven!　You've done really well!　It's like a dream come true to be a general in one fell swoop!


　After the audience, I went to Wright's room with Olympia in tow.

　A few minutes later, an excited Wright opened the door on his own and gave me a hug with a big smile on his face and said so.


'Ah ......!'

　Perhaps my feelings were too high, but after a few seconds, Light finally noticed Olympia, who was behind me, and hurriedly moved away from me.


'Nope, no. I was just trying to embarrass Seven. Don't get me wrong.

　It is clearly a lie.


'Your meeting with the Prime Minister will be in about an hour and a half. Fifteen minutes before, we will pick you up.

Okay.

　Olympia must have read the air, because she gave me an earful of that and then saluted and left.


'...... Seven, come over here. I've prepared tea and snacks for you.

'Oh?　Oh.

　After regaining my composure, Light leads me to the terrace. Heh, so the prince is guiding me in person?

　When I look by the quietly closed door, I see the maid who was once on the verge of being fired. She's not shirking the job of guiding, she's probably respecting Light's will and keeping quiet. As expected of a top-notch maid working at the imperial castle.


The tea is my choice of the finest in the imperial capital Marmera. As for the pastries, I had the castle's artisans prepare a speciality.

Yeah. I don't know. It's kind of awesome.

Huh.

　When I said my vague impressions, Light sighed as if to say, "Oh dear.


'Seven, you're going to be embarrassed if you don't learn from this. There will be opportunities to eat this kind of stuff in diplomacy, right?　You're already a general, you need to be aware of that.

"!　So that's it. Thanks.


　The light was a light, and I think he was thinking of me.

　That Light was that Light, and he acted for the sake of others.

　I was kind of happy and told him honestly how grateful I was.


'............'

......?

　We take our seats for a minute or so.

　On the table were tea poured by the maid and some insanely delicious-looking fruit cakes and such on a three-story plate.

　I was going to wait for Light to start eating as a matter of courtesy, but for some reason, Light didn't start eating at all.

　But for some reason, Light didn't start eating at all.


"Hey, aren't you going to eat?

What ......?

　When I ask him that, Light gives me a huff, as if he's noticed for the first time.


''Oh, yeah, you can eat first. What, you're unusually polite for you. Are you beginning to realize that you're a general?

'Not that kind of thing, but ...... well, I'll take it.'


　For now, I sip my tea.


'Oh, it's good,'

Really?

'What?　No, don't lie to me.

Oh, okay.


　The tea was so good that it was a good match for the one we drink in the Firth Test.

　Wright was relieved and happy for some reason.


'The cake's good too. 'What cake is this?'

It's a seasonal fruit tart.


　It's kind of less reactive than with the tea.

　Seeing me start to gobble it up, Light started to eat it too.

　A moment of bliss, if you will. Watching him, I could vaguely understand. I'm sure this guy likes tea and sweets.


Mm-hmm.

　I glanced behind the light and saw a smiling maid.

　With that slightly troubled smile, I guessed everything.

　This tea, Light made it for me--.


''...... phew ......''

　It settles down.

　There's only the clatter of dishes between us for a while, but it's not an unpleasant silence at all.

　It's a warm late summer afternoon, and a cup of hot tea is nice. It keeps the breeze cool.


"-- Hey, Seven,

　I was in a daze, out of character, when Light spoke to me.

'Hmm?'

　As I return it, I realize. That quiet atmosphere he wears is similar to that night.


"You're always so imposing, aren't you? You're always so imposing, not even in front of Cigarone or your father.

Really?

'Yes. You're the opposite of me: ......

　Wright turned over a little and then looked into my eyes with a serious expression on his face.


'Seven. How can I be like you?　How do I stop being a braggart?　I want to be like you. I want to be just like you, no matter what, I want to be unapologetic, aloof, and peaceful, no matter what. How in the world can I do that ......?


　Consultation part 2, I mean.

　There must have been some kind of trigger. Otherwise, he's not the kind of person who can seriously ask for advice from others like this.

　...... It's me. I'm sure that since I became a general, Wright has finally decided that he is ready to face his father.


............

　Normally, I'd treat them with a "I don't know" or "figure it out on your own".

　Or I'd run off because I had to run an errand.

　Sometimes I'll muddle the tea by talking about something like that.

　But ...... this tea, I don't want to muddy it up. I can't help but think about it.


"Where do you--

?


　Except for Mevion, I hadn't lived a life where I could give advice to others at all.

　But even though I'm such a good-for-nothing guy, Light has always adored me, saying something like that.

　I'm cheating on my cute little brother and sister. Seven is something that shouldn't really exist anywhere.

　I just want to leave a little something for ...... this guy. If I'm going to deceive him, at least I'll have enough for a cup of tea.

　I'm sure it was supposed to end in a deceitful way, but because of the tea he made for me, I'm beginning to feel that way.


"It's all about where you live.

"Live?


　A sense of inferiority and loneliness.

　I suppose Wright thinks I've never felt those things.

　That's not true. Before I came to this world, I felt this on a daily basis.

　It's natural to feel anxious about the future. I probably felt inferior to the people who were able to live a normal life in society. The moment I walked back from Mevion to my apartment, I often wanted to die. And when I suddenly wondered how old I was going to be, how old I was going to be, how old I was going to be, how old I was going to be, how old I was going to be, how old I was going to be, how old I was going to be, how lonely I was going to be.

　That's how it goes for everyone.

　And yet we are all doing our best to live.

　I've lived with a smile on my face for the most part, too. I can say with confidence that my long adolescence was fun in its own way.

　Because.


I don't care what it is. I don't care what it is, as long as it's fun for you. As long as you can find a place in your heart that makes you smile when you interact with others, as long as you can find a place in your heart that makes you smile, as long as you can enjoy yourself by making others happy, or you can be the person you want to be, or you can feel good about being helpful to others, or you can work for someone else... ...Well, you can do better than you think.


　I had Mevion.

　I was already having fun and enjoying myself.

　I hope you'll find it, too, if you can.

　I lived in Mevion.

　Where are you going to live?


I wonder if I could be like Seven when I find something like that ......?

"Hahahahaha.

Nah, don't laugh!

That's not what you're talking about.

I don't know if that's true.

'I just don't think you'll be too upset about it. Even if my dad and sister despise me, so what, I've got this!　I can tell you that.

!


　You can forget about bad things when you're passionate about something.

　If you live your life for fun, you'll have the power to blow the bad things away.

　That's how I've been living my whole life, so I can only give you this kind of generalized advice.

　But I can tell you this with certainty.

　There is something hidden somewhere in the world that will save you.


...... but I'm the prince.


　It's not that simple, is it?

　But here's the thing.

Don't worry. You won't be able to say that for a while.

He-......?


　Half a month from now, there's no guarantee that the Empire will still be here.

　Even I don't know what will happen to me in the future.

　Will it suffer the same fate as the former Touhachi no Kuni, or will it be ......


I'm just saying, don't worry about it too much. It's okay to take your time. You'll find something fun to do and you'll grow taller.

Oh, oh!　Hey, stop it!


　Is it really okay to destroy the empire?

　It's a good thing that you're able to have a good time with them.

　Although Light said he didn't like it, he didn't seem to resist.

　As I felt the touch of his small head in my hand, I suddenly thought to myself, "If I had a brother, I'd be able to do it. If I had a brother, I wondered if this is what it would have been like .......

　No, no. It's me anyway, of course we'd be fighting every day.


'Hey, don't be silly, your hair is shaggy. Don't treat the prince's head like a ball.

It's wildly good.

That's not the point!


　So, let's say the empire collapses into a million pieces, what the hell am I going to do with this f*cking cocky little brotherhood? I don't know that for myself.

　Maybe, just maybe, it will end up not breaking down at all. If so, that's fine, and I'm a little relieved.

　All is known to the Strategist.

　Well, what will be will be.

　This is a game using the empire, and for me, it's a vacation--



　　* * * *.



I may be at my wits end.

Yes, I know. You all know that.


　A corner of the entrance hall in the Imperial Castle.

　The maids who should normally be cleaning diligently at this time of day. A few of the girls, who were still holding cleaning tools, had gathered together and were discussing something in a whisper.


''Oh my god, it's so teasing!　His Highness personally sent a cup of tea to Master Seven: ...... Aaaaah!

Calm down. And tell me everything that happened. All over.


　The center of the room is the maid with the prince, who had been serving Seven and Light earlier.

　The other maids are listening intently to her, trying not to miss what she has to say.


'Until Seven-sama came in, she seemed restless and fidgety, pacing back and forth between the living room and the terrace. Then, when Lady Olympia knocked on the door three times, His Highness told him to wait a while and began to make tea in a hurry.

His Highness was planning to start the tea when Lady Seven arrived, wasn't he?

'That's right. He wants you to enjoy the best tea you can. I'm sure you've already shown me how to make the tea several times, and when the time came, you were a master at it.

So, what happened when you finished the tea?

"Huh, hmmm. ...... hmmm!


　The maid with the prince laughed wistfully and opened her mouth in ecstasy.


'Well done, it's like a dream,' she said with a big smile as she complimented Master Seven, 'Well, to that chest, like this, boffin ......!

!

"Hugs, sir!　And then, and then!　Master Seven, too, was embraced back, bewildered, but gently!

!

'His Highness, who had been disappointed in Lady Olympia, left in a hurry. Lady Seven smiled coolly at him. She smiled coolly at him, and Olympia, not to be outdone, put her pretty face close to Seven's collar and whispered to him with her slit eyes. From what I can tell, Lady Olympia was a bit peeved!

Gee, that's some serious heat!

'That's what I'm telling you!


　In a stifled whisper, but shouting in too much excitement, the girls' talk was lively.


''I, when I heard that Olympia-sama had become Seven-sama's entourage, I was gutted when I found out.

"Lady Olympia is a noble man with a sense of pride, so I was wondering what would happen at first when I heard you were a member of her entourage. ...... In just half a day, you're such a good match for your cup ...... Excuse me, duo I felt like we breathed so well together that I could be sure there was no one else.

Seven-sama is amazing because you can make a picture with anyone. Especially with Olympia-sama, the picture quality is the highest.

Well, I'd have to agree with you very much, but let's be reasonable.


　Olympia was originally popular among the maids because of her good face.

　Among the girls, Seven and Olympia were the ones who were considered quite 'hot' right now. Now that the news of Olympia becoming Seven's close associate came out, it was bound to heat up even more.

　In addition, with Light, the so-called "real" target, and Nato, the so-called rival, joining them, it was inevitable that a scorching hot feast would be held.


　Hence, the girls are unable to notice. A man is visiting the entrance where the fornicating voices are echoing.


''-- A party with a broom?　Good standing.

Hee......!

Sorry, sir!


　A short man of about sixteen centimeters in height and a small, muscular, overweight body, always angry and receding at the edges of his hairline - Cigarone Erebuni, Prime Minister. He is the number two in the Marvel Empire.

　Despite this, he didn't have a single bodyguard, tossing his cloak and walking at a fast pace past the entrance.

　He is the busiest man in the Empire. With one previous task dragging on a bit longer and a meeting with Seven coming up soon, he didn't have time to waste every minute.

　But it was in his nature to overlook anyone who was dishonest about their work, no matter how hurried they were.


'The cleaning of the entrance will be done by five maids on a rotating basis and will take thirty minutes. This is a number and time calculated to make sure that every inch of the house is cleaned, no matter how much of a mishmash it is. Now, how many minutes do they have left?　Could five people clean this large entrance in such a short time?　Answer me.

I'm sorry...

No, I'm not. I'm asking you to answer my question. Affirm or deny, answer me.

...... messy,

'Yes, if you understand, then answer that from the beginning. I've already wasted forty seconds of my life because of you.


　Cigarone spoke up quickly, then glanced at the five girls, then turned his back on them as if he were wasting his time and went away.


These fifteen minutes will be without pay. The next time I see you, you're fired. You'll have to work as hard as you can so that you won't even be able to carry that broom.


　The maids bow deeply and wait for Cigarone to disappear.


'If you don't have time to keep your head down, do your job!　I don't like that kind of tokenistic attitude the most!


　Cigarone looked at the girls' reflections in the beautifully polished vase and left the entrance, yelling only that they were so without looking back.

　The maids' shoulders jumped as they were spooked by the loud noise.

　A few seconds later, there was a ...... "Ahhhh" kind of blankness in the air.


...... He's still as sarcastic as ever.

'Well, it's our fault, but you have a word or two too many, Mr. Prime Minister.

They say not a day goes by when you don't say something sarcastic.


　The maids all complain about Cigarone.


'But he's ...... competent, I'm afraid.

Maybe he can remember our faces and names without having to look them up.

In fact, I think it's been reduced by exactly fifteen minutes from this month's paycheck.


　But the girls were well aware of Cigarone's competence, no matter how uncomfortable they were. That's why they could change their minds, even though they were complaining about what they were doing and not skipping cleaning and chatting anymore in the future.

　The scary thing about Cigarone is that it seems like he's even trying to inflict that discomfort. If it weren't for the disgusting way they were treated, the penalty of 15 minutes without pay, and the final yell, the girls might not have been able to reform. The fact that even these women seemed to be able to do so was a good indication of the competence of the man named Cigarone.


''Seven-sama, I hope you won't be abused by the Prime Minister. ......

I'm worried about you: ......


　Many people know that Cigarone uses Seven very heavily.

　Seven had become an idol of the maids, and they were worried that Cigarone would use her up.


.............

　After a few moments of silence, each went back to cleaning.

　One of the maids opened her mouth with a very serious look on her face.


'...... ciga x sev ...... well, not without, is it ......

!


　The other maids who heard this let out an exclamation of admiration. Because they knew her tastes, they were convinced that her greed, which even feeds on cigarrone, is just as good as the niche genre of Oyaji offense that she is cultivating day and night.

　It was a bit of a radical opinion, but it was worth brushing up on.

　The girls, who had been depressed, were slowly coming back to life.

　Then, as if to take advantage of the flow, the maid with the prince said with a grin on her face.


''Actually, there was also ...... petting after that, right?

Huh?

Which one is which?

Take one hand, go for it.

What a great idea!


　Yes, that story was still in progress.

　The girls are busily working on cleaning up, but they are convinced with a look of excitement.

　Tonight is a banquet--.