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Chapter 25
“Um, actually, I came to ask you something. Is it… uncomfortable for you that Joachim comes to René Palace?”
“……”
At the mention of Joachim, Friedrich’s face quickly darkened, and he slowly spoke.
“It’s not comfortable, but… it’s entirely because of me that this happened, so I don’t dare complain. Rather…”
Friedrich glanced at me briefly and continued.
“I can’t help but feel sorry that, because of me, Your Highness had to take Duke Rommel as your official consort against your will.”
“Well, it can’t be helped.”
I shrugged nonchalantly.
“I’ll make sure the rooms are as far apart as possible. You probably won’t run into him often. The Duke is busy with central politics anyway.”
At that, Friedrich gave a faint smile. Only then did I feel a little reassured.
“So… there’s nothing in particular to worry about, right?”
“Worry?”
“I heard from Elsa that lately the light in your room has been on until late at night.”
I furrowed my brows and scolded him.
“That’s not allowed. Even if you’re temporarily in a child’s body at night, it’s still your body. Staying up late could have a negative effect when it returns to normal.”
“Ah……”
“Is there something troubling you so much that you can’t sleep?”
At this, Friedrich thought for a moment and nodded. I looked at him curiously.
“What is it? Tell me. I’ll help.”
“……If they’re younger than me.”
Friedrich spoke cautiously.
“You mean… not younger than you?”
“What are you talking about all of a sudden?”
Friedrich hesitated slightly, and I gestured for him to just say it.
“You mean you don’t like younger ones?”
At the sudden question, my eyes widened.
“Suddenly?”
“When you said you would marry me just after I became an adult, Duke Rommel said he couldn’t understand it.”
Did he really say that? I couldn’t quite remember, and I made a vague expression. Friedrich continued, his voice laced with unusual anxiety.
“I thought it meant that you didn’t like younger people.”
“Ah……”
According to my memory, René’s preference had indeed been for older partners. But that was when René was younger.
“But your preferences won’t always stay the same.”
I smiled and patted Friedrich’s head. His body stiffened slightly at the touch.
“Preferences change, Friedrich. Don’t you?”
“……I—”
Friedrich muttered, bowing his head slightly.
“They don’t change. Neither my feelings nor my preferences.”
“You’re still young.”
At that, Friedrich snapped his head up sharply, clearly offended by being called “young.” Curious, I thought, You are young though…
“I won’t change. I’ll always be the same.”
“Changing isn’t necessarily bad, you know?”
“……Still.”
“Well, okay. A steadfast person is good too.”
Then I noticed something strange and asked.
“So… your worry is about whether I like younger men or not?”
Not that Joachim might betray him or anything. I stared at him, bewildered. Friedrich flinched slightly and explained.
“……If Your Highness doesn’t like younger men, then people might wonder why you chose me as your husband.”
“That… still doesn’t seem like something to worry about……”
I laughed incredulously and pressed my hands against his cheeks, squishing them like a fish. Friedrich’s eyes widened, as if he recognized the feeling.
“I told you. Your face is completely my type.”
“……”
“And your beauty is the best in the world. No one will think it strange. Didn’t you notice the glances at the last ball?”
Friedrich shook his head, seemingly not realizing. I chuckled and rubbed his cheeks more firmly.
“What were you so focused on that you didn’t notice others looking at you?”
“……Your Highness.”
I somehow caught the murmur from his mangled lips and stared at him blankly. He looked at me with eyes devoid of any teasing. I stared at him for a moment and then chuckled.
“That was a good line just now.”
From his perspective, no one else knew, so he probably thought he couldn’t let his guard down.
It would be nice if he had someone his age to match with or a friend. Kind of sad.
I briefly wondered if Joachim could be that companion, but it would be better not to expect that.
A few days later, Joachim permanently moved into René Palace.
Arriving with three large carriages, he knelt before me with a face full of delight.
“Great and radiant star of Stade, Princess René!”
Then, without hesitation, he kissed the back of my hand. I thought about correcting him, but since he was officially René’s consort, I let it pass.
Judging by how quiet he’s been until now, he seems trustworthy enough.
After all, if he values his life, he wouldn’t dare speak falsely in front of me.
“This is the room you’ll be using.”
I gave him the room near the entrance, considering that he would be going out frequently.
While Joachim unpacked his things, I was summoned by the Emperor to Solara Palace.
“……You’ve let Duke Rommel into René Palace?”
He looked exasperated.
“With less than a month until the wedding.”
“Yes. You’ll approve, right?”
I smiled slightly in reply.
“It can’t be helped. The Duke is lovesick over me. I can’t be so cruel…”
Then I remembered that just a few days ago, I had told the Empress that I didn’t care about Joachim being lovesick.
“…I guess I can’t help it.”
Feeling slightly embarrassed, I cleared my throat. The Emperor looked at me with a dry, almost bewildered expression and muttered:
“Prince Friedrich will be in a very awkward position.”
“Why?”
“Don’t you know? The Duke of Stade has become a rival, and a prince without backing would be very anxious.”
Well, to someone who didn’t know the situation, it certainly looked that way.
“My favor is his backing, after all. But honestly, my situation is rather awkward right now too.”
“……You?”
“Yes. Recently, my dreams have changed to living peacefully in the countryside with a little husband and fox-like children, as I mentioned at the last victory banquet.”
The Emperor looked utterly bewildered.
“But if the Duke of Rommel wants to follow you to the countryside? I’m a bit burdened that he’d even give up his dukedom for me.”
It was sudden, but I had to assert myself sometimes. I have no interest in the throne!
“Then, if he insists on following, I have no choice but to take him along. What if he falls ill from lovesickness?”
After saying this boldly, I turned to look at the dumbfounded Emperor.
“Why are you looking at me like that?”
“……Hearing you speak so differently all of a sudden, I just can’t adapt.”
“I’m actually quite realistic. You have no intention of giving me the throne anyway, right?”
The Emperor looked taken aback.
“Why would you say that, René?”
“Just… there hasn’t been a female emperor in Stade before. It would be difficult for you to break precedent.”
“You’ve achieved unprecedented feats in this conquest. I think you have the qualifications to be the first.”
The Emperor stroked his chin and continued.
“But for now, I want to keep my children close. I want to marry off Anton… and Marie as well.”
At the mention of Marie, I muttered in disbelief, and the Emperor’s brows furrowed.
“Marie? Who’s that?”
I muttered, astonished:
“She’s your daughter.”
