「Aniki… isn’t this amount a bit too high?」
「Give up. The soil has to be completely replaced. There’s a chance dragons might come swarming because of the smell of blood and flesh.」
「Ugh～. I just gave Argusta a little harassment and this is what I get. His luck is ridiculous, isn’t it?」
Halfren tossed the bill he had been handed onto the floor and leaned back against the sofa.
Schnitt gave a faint smile at his younger brother’s state and poured the gift wine into his glass.
「……Father has started moving quite actively, hasn’t he?」
「Yeah. That’s how strongly he’s being 『asked』, I suppose.」
「This is troublesome. Really troublesome.」
Halfren looked up at the ceiling and covered his face with his hand.
While secretly feeling a little envious of his little brother who could take such a clear stance, Schnitt brought the glass to his lips.
The wine he usually enjoyed tasted unusually bitter today.
「Since they used the tiny princess, does that mean Pal and Mil will be used next?」
「That’s why I sent those two after Argusta first, to get ahead of them.」
「Well, yeah.」
Reports had already reached Halfren.
There was no doubt that after leaving the king’s office, the two had gone straight to the anti-dragon squad’s office.
There was also a report about Krea carrying a large number of Blostash cakes.
The Draguknight family had gone beyond being regular customers and were now on the verge of buying out the entire shop.
「If they can’t use Pal and Mil… what will they do next?」
「There aren’t many options left.」
Schnitt set his glass down on the desk and let out a deep sigh.
「They’ll probably send a carriage directly during Argusta’s time off and drag him out.」
「The enemy is Sieck, huh. That head maid is really troublesome.」
Halfren clutched his head at the mention of the woman he had found difficult since childhood.
「The fact that you can live in that mansion is honestly something I respect, aniki.」
At his younger brother’s words, the older brother gave a snort of laughter.
「There is no safer place in this country to leave the children than that mansion.」
「True enough.」
Although it was called many things, the “Garden of Children,” the “Orphanage”, and so on, as long as the children were inside that mansion, they were guaranteed one of the highest levels of safety and security in the kingdom.
「That’s exactly why the problem is…」
「I know. It’s Noie.」
Taking her to that place would only bring anxiety.
No matter how much Noie obeys Argusta’s orders, the thought of 「What if something goes wrong?」 made it impossible to make a careless decision.
Schnitt leaned back against the sofa and looked up at the ceiling.
Seeing his older brother acting so unlike himself, Halfren inwardly worried, 『Is he tired…?』
「Parents think of their children, and children think of their parents.」
「What’s that?」
「……A line from a book I read once.」
Schnitt shook his head lightly, stood up, and rolled his shoulders.
「I wonder what that person is thinking, trying to call 『Noie』 there.」
「I don’t know.」
Schnitt gave a small chuckle at his younger brother’s slightly irritated reply.
He understood.
As her son, he knew what his mother desired.
「Is it because of the power Noie showed at the wedding?」
「I won’t let her use it. Absolutely not.」
Halfren clapped his hands together, radiating a dangerous aura.
The presence he had carried since ten years ago… somehow resembled that of the mass murderers who were now gone.
(Am I drunk…?)
Schnitt lightly shook his head to clear his thoughts.
「For now, we can only keep an eye on His Majesty’s movements.」
「……Yeah.」
「Or…」
Schnitt chuckled. Halfren turned his gaze toward him.
For once, his older brother wore an expression like he had just thought of some mischievous prank.
「We could tell Argusta everything… and pull him over to our side.」
-0-
「Hmm～」
「……」
As always, I hugged Noie from behind on the bed.
The places where our skin touched were slightly warm and sweaty, but the temperature dropped at night, which helped.
Today, at my request, Noie was in her ponytail version.
The white nape of her neck was dazzling. I couldn’t resist kissing it and savoring the taste.
「Nnh.」
When my lips touched her, Noie let out a small sound.
Seriously, what is this adorable creature?
Then she looked back at me over her shoulder.
「……Do you want to?」
「Not today.」
「……Yes.」
Her ahoge drooped dejectedly.
I had been thinking this for a while, but maybe Noie…
I placed my hands on her shoulders and gave her a signal to turn around.
Noie rotated her body smoothly to face me.
「Hey, Noie.」
「Yes.」
She looked at me with her clear, round eyes.
Yeah, she’s cute as always. But that’s not the point.
「You always say 『Do you want to?』, right?」
「……?」
Her ahoge somehow looked like it was tilting in confusion.
Has she leveled up…? I don’t know what level, though.
「When Noie wants to do it, you shouldn’t say 『Do you want to?』.」
「……」
A faint blush spread across her usually expressionless face.
「When Noie wants to do it, say 『I want to』, okay?」
「……」
Her mouth opened and closed like a goldfish, and she looked down.
Her ears were bright red.
「Come on, Noie. Try saying it.」
「……」
Her face rose slightly, trembling.
Looking up at me with shy eyes… What is this violence called cuteness!
「……I want… to…」
She even added an arrangement!
I couldn’t hold back anymore and pounced on Noie, pushing her down.
I thought I heard her say something else… but I already know what she wants, so it’s fine!
-0-
She gazed at the sleeping face of her husband (the idiot), who was lying there as if burned out.
She let out a deep, deep sigh and slowly stood up.
Feeling a slight chill, she wrapped the sheet around herself.
She walked quietly over to the mirror hanging on the wall… and there, as always, stood the beautifully grown “Noie”.
「That’s right. The queen is still alive, isn’t she?」
Her slightly parted lips spoke.
Then she began to laugh coldly.
「Even though it was all my mistake…」
The summoning formula that had succeeded. That was the root of everything.
「Do you feel like dying… Queen?」
The Noie in the mirror laughed. Tears spilled down her cheeks.
「I’m sorry. Aunt Ria…」
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