「…isekai?」
「Yes. Does Noie know the meaning of that word?」
Noie shook her head vigorously and looked at me with clear eyes.
It was strange… for some reason, only now did her dark red pupils look like the color of blood?
「Isekai refers to a world completely different from this one… the place where we live.」
「Different?」
「Yes. I don’t know what kind of place Argusta lived in, but they say that in isekai, lumps of iron fly through the sky and travel across the sea.」
Yes. I lived in such a world. So what?
Noie was staring intently at me.
「Then why did Arg-sama call out a different name?」
「A different name? Perhaps he was half-asleep and called out the names of his original parents?」
The gazes of both women pierced into me.
Whoa… I had been placed in a terrible predicament during a family chat.
Think calmly. What was troublesome about them knowing I was from Earth? Summoning from another world was prohibited. Though other countries seemed to do it quite often.
Wait? If I kept this conversation just between us… an angel descended into my mind. Probably an angel. It surely wasn’t a demon.
「…His Majesty ordered me never to speak of the summoning. He even threatened to kill me if I did.」
「Ara ara. Did that person say such things? What a naughty person. Next time I see him, I will say 『Tsk』 to him. I will tell Sieck later so she doesn’t forget.」
Please stop that, as His Majesty might actually die. But for my happiness… Father, please die.
「Noie.」
「Yes.」
「Summoning is prohibited, so you must not tell anyone.」
「…But you said it.」
Yes, Her Majesty had let it slip.
But she seemed natural, and she was practically a shut-in, and above all, with the Head Maid nearby, I thought Her Majesty would be fine.
「That is why I couldn’t tell Noie.」
「…What was the name?」
She hadn’t forgotten that part. I tried to gloss over it, but it seemed ineffective.
「Yes. I think it was the name of someone I knew in my previous world. Both of my real parents have passed away, after all.」
「……」
Noie’s eyes widened.
When Her Majesty sensed something and removed her hands from her, Noie stood up from her chair and hugged me.
So why didn’t you suppress your strength only when hugging me?
When she hugged me forcefully… I stopped just as I was about to fall straight backward.
Only the chair rolled onto the lawn. Noie was holding me in a hugged position.
「I am sorry.」
「It is fine.」
「But… I made Arg-sama say sad things.」
「It is fine. Because Noie is here.」
Released from Noie’s arms, which looked like she was about to cry, I stood on the ground.
Then, Noie hugged me again, pressing her face against me and shaking her shoulders. Noie was truly kind.
「I am sorry.」
「It’s okay, it’s okay. Because Noie is here.」
「…Yes.」
Noie, who was hugging me tightly, showed no signs of letting go.
I was bothered by Her Majesty looking at us enviously… and for some reason, she even winked. What was this person planning?
「It is alright, Argusta. We have everything needed for children.」
「We haven’t made any yet.」
「But you will, won’t you?」
「Yes.」
Noie, with her face still pressed against me, answered firmly.
Wait? Did that mean… the touching ban was lifted?
…If it had come to this, I might as well go all the way. I would carry this lie through to the end!
That’s right. My secret was being from 『isekai』. Called out a different name? It was someone from over there.
Do your best, me. Honestly, continuing this abstinence was impossible in various ways. Above all, enduring it while the fully charming Noie was beside me was torture.
-0-
After that, we talked about various things with Her Majesty and left the mansion.
However, I was truly happy that Noie had remained hugging me the entire time. I was really glad we had come.
But… why were there craters in the garden at the entrance? They hadn’t been there when we arrived.
-0-
「How was it, Your Majesty? The two of them.」
「Yes. It was very enjoyable.」
「Is that so.」
「Yes. I understand.」
Linea, the Queen, stuck out her tongue slightly and behaved herself in bed, facing the Head Maid who looked slightly angry.
She had managed to endure until the two returned, but after seeing them off as they left the courtyard… she had vomited blood and collapsed from fatigue.
「I understand that you were happy to meet them, but please do not push yourself like this in the future.」
「Ye～s.」
「Please keep your replies short and clear.」
「Yes.」
Smiling softly, the Head Maid left the room.
Watching her leave, Linea stared at the canopy of the bed and exhaled.
「A lie that cannot be told… huh.」
Chuckling like a girl, she recalled the lie her son had told.
「To think his loved ones were being held hostage… Argusta has it hard too. If possible, I would like to cooperate, but…」
Realizing it was impossible for her, who could not leave the mansion, Linea exhaled.
Even if she had the power to peek into people’s hearts, she could only use it to this extent. It was truly a waste of a treasure.
But his heart was truly interesting, so she had inadvertently used too much power.
Linea knew only one person who could strive that hard to protect the person they loved.
「Is he essentially the same as that person? If so, Noie will be happy, but it will be tough for her. She seems likely to be liked by the opposite sex, just like him.」
Because it was the person she loved, the Queen’s eyes were clouded.
Her husband, King Wilmott, was a man who picked up women himself.
As she drifted into a drowsy state… she suddenly remembered the expression Noie had shown at the very end.
Looking at her sideways with an apologetic expression, she had muttered softly.
『I am sorry. Aunt Linea.』
The only person who had called the Queen that was her niece…
Due to fatigue, Linea fell into the world of sleep.
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