「Huh?」
The muscle daruma who usually served as decoration in the office was nowhere to be seen.
I sat in his chair and clapped my hands, but the tall maid was also absent and did not appear.
I had wanted to ask where to arrange for Noie’s armor… what a useless aniki.
Out of spite, I wrote 「hope your junk explodes」 on a piece of paper and left the room.
Maybe the king knows.
-0-
「You have been acting strangely for a while now.」
「My crotch feels weird.」
「……My lord?」
「I’m not so starved that I’d lay a hand on you.」
He averted his eyes from the tall maid’s cold stare.
Carriage travel did not suit him, and unable to find a comfortable sitting position, he kept shifting in his seat.
He knew the real reason.
He was tense about heading to the place they were going.
「How about calming down?」
「You knew and still asked?」
「You were fidgeting like a small child, so I simply teased you.」
He shrugged at the tall maid’s nonchalant remark and let out a sigh.
「For some reason I just can’t relax.」
「You are simply heading to your own older brother’s residence.」
「I know, but…」
Watching her master’s bitter expression, the maid smiled inwardly.
The two brothers were well known for having a good relationship.
There was only one reason he felt resistance about visiting the residence.
「Is the queen’s summons really that troubling?」
「Yeah… it is.」
He crossed his arms and stared at a single point, his expression even more severe than during wartime.
「I know what the conversation will be about. She’ll probably tell me to let her meet that idiot Arg.」
However, after talking with his elder brother, they had decided to avoid it as much as possible.
It’s not that he didn’t want his brother to meet her. It’s his brother’s companion.
「In the worst case, I may have him meet her without bringing Noie.」
That should have been the best possible answer. But there was a problem.
「……I heard that if Argusta-sama calls, she will appear no matter where she is?」
「Unfortunately, that is true. That bastard never explains the mechanism, though.」
Halfren was the leading expert on that fact.
He had experienced being called several times while bullying his younger brother.
「Then won’t she be summoned the moment we arrive at the residence?」
「That’s exactly why I don’t want to let them meet. With Argusta it would be fine, but…」
He shook his head vigorously and turned his gaze out the window.
One of the largest mansions in the royal capital came into view.
It was the residence of Schnitt, the next king.
-0-
「Noie’s armor, you say?」
「Yes.」
「That is a high-grade platinum piece, you know?」
「It is.」
「……And you wish to order a new one?」
「Is there a problem?」
The king, Wilmott, stroked his beard as he answered the question from his son, whose body was unmistakably his son’s, though the person inside was someone else.
「Even with Noie’s earnings, that would consume an entire year’s worth.」
「The stock of platinum ingots will decrease, so it’s actually a big help.」
「Hmm. True, your household only spends heavily when making major purchases.」
Saying that, the king grabbed the bell on his desk and rang it.
An elderly gentleman entered after a single knock.
「Noie of the Dragunight family wishes for a new platinum armor. Gather the finest platinum without worrying about the market price and contact the craftsmen.」
「Understood.」
After receiving the one-sided order, the elderly gentleman left.
「We must gather the platinum material first. It will take at least three months at the earliest, or up to half a year at the latest.」
「That long?」
「Yes. Even the current armor took four months.」
He had assumed it would be ready quickly, so he was genuinely surprised.
Since it was a custom piece, he had no choice but to accept it.
「Then there’s no helping it. Once it’s done, I’d like the next one to be adjustable in the chest area when it grows.」
「What? Are you making them big by rubbing?」
To the king’s question, Argusta returned a perfectly straight gaze.
「If there is a mountain (chest) there, it should be conquered. Don’t you agree?」
「Indeed. But never forget to savor the valley (buttocks) as well.」
「I understand completely.」
For some reason, the two men exchanged a firm handshake.
「By the way, Argusta.」
「Yes?」
「My wife… the queen wishes to meet you.」
「The queen?」
After thinking for a moment, he clapped his hands together.
「Weren’t you separated?」
「How did you arrive at that conclusion?」
The king was utterly dumbfounded by his son’s straightforward question.
「No, I just thought… maybe the queen had abandoned you, and to heal that loneliness you were going around seducing maids.」
「……My wife is an excellent woman. She used to be frightening, though. But more than anything, if I find a woman I like, I will speak to her even if my wife is right beside me!」
「That’s not something to brag about.」
For the first time in a while, Argusta gave a completely natural retort.
-0-
「It’s the big onii-san～」
「What is it, tiny princess? You’re over here today?」
「Yes～」
Halfren, who had been struggling to keep his answer vague after the predictable suggestion, got caught the moment he tried to leave.
The one who energetically jumped and hugged him from the head was Camille, the official wife of his older brother Schnitt.
She should be turning twelve this year, but her usual speech and behavior made her seem much younger.
For now, he tucked her under his arm and spun her around. Then a presence that could freeze the air appeared.
「Sieck.」
「It has been a while, Halfren-sama.」
The one who bowed her head respectfully was the head maid of this residence.
He adjusted the girl he was carrying, her skirt flipped up, revealing a rather large area of white underwear.
「Do something about this habit of the tiny princess.」
「Yes. However, the only ones who can catch her are Halfren-sama and Noie-sama.」
「Even if you can catch her, if she gets hurt it will be a problem.」
「Indeed. I will gradually discipline her from now on.」
She bowed her head again. Halfren felt a chill run down his back at her demeanor.
He had always found this head maid extremely difficult to deal with.
「Then I’m going home. What about the tiny princess?」
「Yeees～. Today I will play with everyone at the mansion～」
「I see.」
He set the girl down and released her. She immediately dashed off toward the garden like an arrow released from a bow.
She really was a girl full of energy with no hidden side.
-0-
「Queen.」
There was a space in one corner of the large garden.
Beneath a large zelkova tree, the area was screened off on all four sides by cloth.
It was as if it were hiding something from the eyes of others.
「Is something the matter?」
「Halfren-sama is about to leave.」
「I see.」
A gentle reply came to the head maid’s voice.
Then the queen’s hand moved across the small table placed there.
Her fingers traced over what looked like a book, or rather, a bundle of pages.
The fingers slowly followed the letters of a certain sentence.
It read…… 『Regarding Camieu』.
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