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Chapter 18
I was desperate.
So desperate that I was openly asking like this, pride be damned.
“Could you smile for me just once?”
“…….”
“Like you did in the carriage last time…… I really want to see that freshness with my own eyes…….”
Ah—before that.
I hurried behind the sofa, putting some distance between His Majesty and myself, and clutched the backrest tightly.
Now there’s nothing dangerous anymore.
“I’m ready.”
“……Come to think of it, when the Saintess first came to Zendal, there was a time you made a rather strange request.”
His Majesty said this, completely ignoring my plea.
“You asked me to make some kind of shape with my fingers and flick it, didn’t you? You also asked me to smile for no reason, just like now.”
“Uaaah! That’s my dark past—!”
To think I’d hear about those memories—from a time when I’d been fooling around, thinking it was all a dream—come out of that mouth.
My black history that still makes me kick the blankets in my sleep…!
“If you want to see it that badly, why don’t you try making me laugh?”
His Majesty provoked me without even lifting the corner of his lips once.
But I had something to say too.
How much effort had I put in over the past few days trying to make His Majesty laugh?
Nothing worked.
Even the jokes I had carefully selected with great effort, thinking he might have unique tastes, were dismissed with a stern face as if they weren’t even worth hearing.
“I don’t have the talent to make Your Majesty laugh!”
“Hah.”
“Huh? Your Majesty, why did you just laugh? Why? Why did you laugh just now? Can’t you tell me why?”
A hollow chuckle slipped out from between His Majesty’s lips.
Even that was precious right now, so my eyes lit up as I asked.
At least let me find the laughter trigger.
“Who knows.”
Instead of answering, His Majesty stood up from his seat.
“It’s almost time for breakfast. Shall I have a meal prepared for two?”
“Uh…… no. I slipped out secretly, so I should go back.”
It was about time for Siana to come with the maids carrying the washwater.
I couldn’t cause a commotion by being absent like last time.
Anyway. Even if I stayed longer today, there’d be nothing to gain.
I let go of the sofa’s backrest and stepped backward.
As I moved away, His Majesty’s proportions entering my field of view were unbelievably perfect.
I’ll retreat for now, but next time, for sure.
With solemn resolve, I grabbed the doorknob and turned it.
Before completely exiting the door, I didn’t forget to make a declaration of war to His Majesty.
“I’ll come again next time. Ah—and enjoy your breakfast.”
I’ll see it. That smile.
“Charle, are you out of your mind?”
Delcan grabbed Charle, who was walking ahead.
As she turned around, her calm blonde hair fluttered lightly over her shoulders.
Her captivating hazelnut-colored eyes turned toward Delcan.
“What?”
Charle tilted her head with an expression of complete innocence.
Then she looked Delcan up and down.
Her half-brother, a tall and handsome man, suited the Royal Knights’ uniform extremely well.
“How about trying to slick your bangs back next time? You have a handsome forehead and eyebrows.”
“Stop saying random things.”
Anxiety settled into Delcan’s gray eyes.
After hearing the Second Prince, Ruid, complaining in the garden, he had run straight to Charle.
He didn’t have the mental space to humor her capricious remarks.
“I heard you said you’d go to Zendal in Ruid’s place.”
“Yeah.”
“You really……”
Delcan quickly glanced around, confirmed there was no one nearby, and lowered his voice.
“Are you planning to bring back the Saintess?”
Delcan was the only one who knew Charle’s greed.
In front of the Emperor of Zendal, she had acted dejected, and after returning to Bonia, she had reported to the King that the Saintess had chosen Zendal and that they should give up.
But Delcan knew all of it was an act.
That was why he felt like he was going insane with worry.
“What are you plotting?”
“If you already know, why ask?”
“Charle……!”
Voices of people could be heard from beyond the corner of the corridor.
Delcan took hold of the primly standing Charle and pulled her into the door right beside them.
It was a storage room for furnishings, a place that was usually deserted.
Only after going all the way to the back of the room did Delcan release Charle’s hand and turn to face her.
“Zendal isn’t Bonia. Things might not go the way you want once you get there. And do you really think Zendal will just sit still if the Saintess is taken? War will be unavoidable.”
The saying that the Kingdom of Bonia was a great power had gradually become outdated, starting with the death of the first Saintess.
Now, Bonia could not win a war against Zendal.
Even if, as Charle claimed, the Oditria Pact was effective and war did not break out, Zendal would not remain idle.
The unseen damage would surely fall entirely upon the people of Bonia.
“……”
Delcan slowly knelt down.
At present, Charle possessed the noblest blood after the King.
In Bonia, where bloodline took precedence, the only thing Delcan—whose blood was tainted with low birth—could do was appeal to Charle to change her mind.
“Please, don’t provoke Zendal.”
“What have I done for you to say that? I haven’t done anything yet.”
Charle snapped irritably.
She had already arranged a carriage to secretly bring the Saintess over.
She planned to lock her up somewhere no one knew and keep her all to herself.
If Delcan wanted, she was willing to show her, too.
That way, there’d be no rumors—perfect.
Delcan opposing her at every turn was hardly welcome.
As Charle looked at the kneeling Delcan with displeasure, her gaze changed.
She studied him carefully, then crouched down in front of him.
“What are you doing……?”
“Be quiet.”
Charle was fairly objective about appearances.
Even if he wasn’t on the level of the Emperor of Zendal, Delcan was a rare beauty.
“So the honey trap worked.”
Charle was adept at discerning the kind of affection people held toward her.
The Saintess clearly liked her looks.
Very much so.
“Alright.”
Delcan had a dog-like charm, so keeping him around wasn’t bad.
And since he was drawn to the Saintess, he’d wag his tail eagerly.
Without even realizing it.
Delcan belonged to her, but lending him out to another master for a while wasn’t a bad idea.
If things went well, the dog returning home might even bring the new master with him.
“With you begging like this, what can I do?”
Charle softened her voice.
“I won’t go to Zendal.”
“Charle……!”
Delcan’s face lit up.
He was deeply moved by his half-sister’s mature decision.
But it didn’t take long for that relief to turn into unease.
Charle stroked Delcan’s cheek.
“If you go to Zendal instead.”
“Now turn it over like that and press the middle to fold it.”
“Like this?”
“Oh. You’re good at it.”
After finishing the cleaning, Hupperson and I sat on the chapel dais.
Following Hupperson’s demonstration, I moved my hands and folded the paper.
“Have you heard the news? They say a delegation from the Kingdom of Bonia is coming.”
“From Princess Charle’s kingdom? Is the Princess coming too?”
A vision flickered before my eyes.
That ash-blonde hair and the stunning appearance.
If the word ‘lovely’ were reincarnated as a human, it would look like that.
Without realizing it, my eyes sparkled, and Hupperson made an awkward face.
“That much, I’m not sure myself……”
“Hmm…… Then I’ll ask the Chancellor, I guess.”
It felt a bit awkward to ask His Majesty.
Even if the Princess were coming, I’d need to manage my expressions in front of His Majesty.
I had at least that much tact.
“Oh, right. But already?”
“Already?”
I recalled what Chancellor Ebon had explained at the last welcome banquet.
Keeping my eyes and hands busy, I continued the conversation.
“I heard that Bonia sends a delegation once a year, but it seems it’s been moved up this time? It feels like it’s only been a little over a month since they last left.”
Wait a second. Don’t tell me I have to dance again.
I had a bad feeling.
I should ask the Chancellor about this too.
“Ah, you mean the cultural exchange? Separately from that, they’ve decided to share technologies between the two countries starting this year.”
“Technologies?”
“Bonia excels at imbuing minerals with divine power, and Zendal has expertise in smelting and processing minerals that possess divine power. The interests of both countries aligned.”
“So the delegation is coming to learn that technology?”
“That’s what people are saying.”
Hupperson nodded, then let out a short exclamation.
With a satisfied expression, I placed the blue paper flower I had made on my palm.
Will this work on His Majesty?
“Not bad, right?”
“As expected, your handiwork is excellent as well. Splendid.”
“Oh, no. It’s thanks to you being a great teacher.”
“I-is that so? Hahaha.”
After a brief exchange of compliments, Hupperson asked curiously,
“But what are you planning to use this skill for?”
“A soldier can’t go to the battlefield without bullets.”
“T-the battlefield? You’re going to the battlefield, Saintess? Who would ever—! Was such a decision made at the recent monthly meeting? I-I may not have much divine power, but even if I have to put Priest Raul in front, I’ll raise an objection—!”
Hupperson flustered about with a pale face.
It was a metaphor, but was going to the battlefield something to be opposed this desperately? Hupperson must think of me as a Saintess with maxed-out divine power.
Scratching my cheek, I patted Hupperson’s shoulder.
“Hey. The battlefield was just a metaphor. I meant I’m doing something that requires a ton of preparation.”
“A metaphor… that’s a relief.”
Only then did Hupperson look reassured and wipe his chest.
What was that about, seriously?
“But you know a lot of these kinds of skills, Hupperson.”
“I have a cousin who likes this sort of thing, so I learned a few.”
“Really?”
My eyes lit up.
“Could you introduce me?”
“……Gah. No, I can’t.”
“You can’t?”
“I said something I shouldn’t have. That child is…… someone our family keeps quiet about.”
“Why?”
Hupperson broke out in a cold sweat.
Then, hesitating over whether it was appropriate to use such an expression in front of the Saintess, he opened his mouth.
“That child is… slightly not in their right mind.”
