Soudouki Vol 3 Chapter 1 (Patreon)

Chapter 1 – The One Who Will Succeed the Throne

.

Part 1

Sanjuan Kingdom was a country located to the south of Mauricia Kingdom.

It was a maritime nation that stretched a bit long to the east and  west. The southern half of the country had hot subtropics weather.

The country was thriving with fisheries industry and shipping  industry, on the other hand its agricultural production was limited. The  majority of its need for grain was dependent on export from Mauricia  Kingdom.

Its relationship with Mauricia Kingdom was fundamentally good,  conversely, its relationship with its neighboring country, Trystovy  Kingdom that was also a maritime country was bad.

Furthermore lately political refugees in great number were flooding  into their country because of the continuing civil war in Trystovy  Dukedom. It was becoming a large social problem.

In such situation, Baldr Cornelius was appointed to be an ambassador  to Sanjuan Kingdom. It was rare for someone his age to receive such  appointment even if one looked at the history of Mauricia Kingdom. His  objective was of course to sell favor to Sanjuan Kingdom and  strengthened the relationship between the two countries.

.

「I should dress more lightly than this……」

Baldr muttered while fanning his sweaty chest with his palm.

The heat and humidity felt like they had doubled since they passed  the Piller Massif that acted as the boundary between Mauricia and  Sanjuan.

Both at his previous lives (Japan) and his present life (Mauricia  Kingdom), Baldr were living in country with temperate zone──country with  four seasons. This heat that felt like it was coiling around his body  was really uncomfortable for him.

Baldr wiped the sweat on his forehead with a white handkerchief that  was Selina’s present for him. He recalled when his lovers sent him off  from the royal capital tearfully three days ago.

He felt like there was Selina’s scent drifting from the handkerchief.

Seyruun had been living together with him like family, while he had  been interacting with Selina like bosom buddy. But with the change of  their relationship, their feeling also changed.

Since their relationship openly became lovers, the three of them had  to tolerate various changes. There were really a lot of such things.

.

「E-err……can I perhaps ask young master to call me, Seyruun?」

「O-of course Sey-nee……Seyruun.」

Seyruun fidgeted shyly while asking him pleadingly with an upward gaze. It was like she was being teased.

Baldr’s cheeks also reddened seeing that. It was a warming sight.

「T-then, p-perhaps I also……should call young master as h-husband……?」

「Whoats(What)?」

He wondered what kind of shaming play this was. Even so he also  certainly felt an indescribable sensuality and sweet pleasure from  getting called husband.

「……If Seyruun is alright with that……」

「H-husband!」

「Seyruun……」

「Husband……」

「Enough already ya two-!」

A sharp retort interrupted from the side at Baldr and Seyruun who  were staring at each other with glistening eyes while producing  bakaple(idiot couple) aura endlessly.

Baldr and Seyruun right now were the very picture of stupid looking  couple who flirted with each other without any regard of their  surrounding. There was no way to defend their behavior even with  flattery.

Selina had to show them how to interact with each other as lover with moderation here as the oldest one.

Yes, even if they were now lovers, she had to resolutely take the initiative and led Baldr correctly──.

「If Seyruun call ya husband, what should I call ya then……?」

Selina said that while pressing her chest on Baldr’s shoulder to lean on him.

The sensation of the heavily laden fruits being pressed on his  shoulder that their shape changed elastically made Baldr’s face turning  boiling red. Seyruun frowned with displeasure.

「…………Come to think of it, I have a request to make to Selina.」

「A request from Baldr……ask me for anythin’.」

「We have finally became lovers, so can I fluff not just your ears but also your tail?」

「Funyah!?」

Her enthusiasm to take the lead had scattered to the wind.

Selina turned bright red until her neck and became scared stiff  instantly. Her bushy tail turned toward Baldr along with her bottom. She  pointed them toward him.

「D-don’t be too rough ‘kay……?」

「Leave everything to me.」

Baldr’s eyes blazed brightly at Selina’s tail that appeared even in  his dream. His fingers caressed it like when he was scooping hair.

Selina’s tail had dark brown color with white color mixed in. It had a  glossiness that was different from her ears. The tail was filled with  alluring texture that made him wanted to keep touching it forever.

「Amazing……it’s fluffy……it’s irresistible.」

Baldr’s fingers kept caressing the tail thoroughly to every nook and  cranny. It seemed he touched Selina’s sensitive part because she started  making an agonized voice. The sweetness in her voice stimulated Baldr’s  sadism.

「Nnh!」

「Hyauh!」

「Ukuuu!」

The erotic voice that was trying to hold it in even though it was impossible was leaking out from Selina’s lips intermittently.

The person herself was blocking her mouth so that her voice wouldn’t slip out, but it was completely useless.

Baldr’s breathing was getting rougher because of how seductive Selina  was looking. He was going to go further and toy with the base of her  tail but…….

「──Enough already-! This enemy of woman!」

「Baldr-sama! You have to be punished!」

Baldr was made to sit with seiza posture by the two whose face had  turned into hannya. His time of bliss was over and he was forced to  endure a very long scolding.

.

(I want to fluff that tail once more……)

「Baldr, you’re making a lewd look right now.」

「At least let me immerse myself in my memory!」

Baldr snorted in displeasure at his friend Brooks beside him who was making a merciless quip toward him.

It was only natural but, Baldr wasn’t the only one to head to Sanjuan Kingdom as the envoys of Mauricia Kingdom.

Other than his friends Brooks and Teresa, two official knights from  Crimson Flame Knight Order and Oliver, a royal court secretary were  accompanying Baldr as his adviser.

From what Oliver told him, it seemed that he would be forced to make a  difficult political decision that surpassed his expectation at Sanjuan  Kingdom.

Nobody except that schemer King Welkin would even consider to appoint  a young boy like Baldr to be a goodwill ambassador even by mistake.

Normally experience meant everything to deal with diplomatic problem like this time.

No matter how they saw it, the biggest political problem in Sanjuan  Kingdom right now was how the first prince Abrego died from disease even  though he was the heir to the throne.

If things went smoothly, the second prince Franco should be the next  king, but Franco was born from the second queen while the third prince  Pedro was born from the first queen, so it seemed the political strife  between the two concerning who would become the new crown prince was  intensifying.

In this situation, it was possible enough that the one who obtained  the technique to deal with the disease Baldr provided would be one step  closer to the throne.

「Good grief……」

Most likely that king had know about this from the start.

Baldr thought with a sigh.

It was good and all to make Sanjuan Kingdom indebted to him. But, if  he sold the favor to the wrong party, his effort would all come to  naught.

Who should he sell this favor to──this was a problem that would also seriously affect Baldr’s own safety.

The terrifying thing here was that Baldr shouldn’t simply focus on  selling favor to Sanjuan Kingdom. Welkin was also implicitly enticing  him to go a step further than that and found someone who could be his  backer from here.

If he had a strong connection with Sanjuan Kingdom on top of his  achievement and position, the nobles who were envious at him and the  bureaucrats who were hostile toward him within Mauricia Kingdom would  hesitate to directly try anything with him.

International relationship was like the Achilles’ heel for bureaucrats who could only display their power within the country.

Although this matter was nothing more than Welkin’s needless worry  because he didn’t know about the terrifying influence of Baldr’s mother,  Maggot.

「I wish I can enjoy the student life for a bit more……」

He also wanted to earn money without any needless obligation weighing him down.

(I have gathered enough money to fill a bathtub full with them like in my dream though……)

The town of Malaga(マラガ)──a stopping point before departing to the  capital Cadiz(カディス) was finally coming into view. A line of dust cloud  was rising from the town.

Several men who seemed to be knights were approaching this way on horses.

They had tanned skin and wearing helmet that was richly colored. It  was undoubtedly the equipment of Sanjuan Kingdom’s formal knight.

「Now then, only god knows what will happen from here……」

Baldr drove away his nostalgia toward the wonderful days that were  now gone to the corner of his mind. He exchanged glance with Brooks and  called for everyone of the diplomatic party to stop.

He prayed that at the very least the other side would have someone friendly.

.

Part 2

「Welcome to our Sanjuan Kingdom. I welcome your arrival from the bottom of my heart.」

The one who welcomed the party at Malaga was the viceroy of this town, Rodriguez de Vega(ロドリゲス・デ・ベガ).

He had a youthful look, but there were some white streaks on his  hair. He was a great man in his fifty and it seemed he also had the  experience as a military man in the past. His well trained body was  still covered with magnificent armor of muscles.

Speaking of Malaga, it was a huge city that was second to the royal  capital Cadiz. The area here was one of Sanjuan Kingdom’s few  grain-producing regions. For generations the one who served as the  viceroy of this city would be an authority who shouldered a weighty  position within the country.

However Rodriguez didn’t act boastful at all despite his high position. Baldr held a favorable impression toward him.

「I’m very grateful for this generous welcome. I am the ambassador  that Mauricia Kingdom dispatched, Baron Baldr Severn Cornelius. Please  treat me as you see fit.」

Rodriguez’s expression twisted from being taken aback by Baldr’s  speech. He must be thinking that it would be Oliver who was the  ambassador based on his age.

Certainly it was impossible for a fourteen years old to be an ambassador in normal case.

「……Did you say Cornelius just now?」

However Baldr’s prediction about the reason of Rodriguez’s reaction was wrong.

What made him taken aback wasn’t because Baldr was the ambassador, but because he was from Cornelius House it seemed.

「Yes, I am the eldest son of Count Cornelius.」

Rodriguez ooh-ed hearing that.

He looked somewhat nostalgic and pitying……Rodriguze looked once more at Baldr with such complicated expression.

The splendid silver hair, the eye glint with strong will within,  well-ordered bridge of nose and mouth shaped that possessed both dignity  and glamour. All those features were enough to make Rodriguez recalled a  certain woman that he knew in the past.

「Is Maggot-dono doing well?」

「──Do you know my mother?」

Baldr’s eyes reflexively widened at the very unexpected question.

Baldr couldn’t think up anything at all that could be a point of  contact between the great man before him and that mother who was the  very picture of audacity.

「Actually I’m indebted to Maggot-dono for saving my life in the  pirate subjugation at Marmara Sea. I asked her at that time to join the  military of this country no matter what but……I never even imagined that  she would end up the wife of a count.」

(Just what were you doing Okaa-sama to even come until this far……)

He was made to realize anew just how absurd his mother was.

This was that mother they were talking about. There was no doubt that  she was gleefully joining the fight here with the simple reason of it  seemed to be fun fighting at the sea.

「……Originally in sea battle mercenaries, even the veterans are not  really useful because they have to fight on top of a shaky ship. At that  time the pirate had the geographical advantage and predicted the sea  current. My fleet got separated and got put under concentrated attack. I  was ready to die at that time. Only until Maggot-dono brought the glory  of victory along with her name of “Silver Light” that is.」

Rodriguez narrowed his eyes with nostalgia.

Baldr wondered whether it was longing, reverence, or affection that was within this man’s eyes.

「I will never forget it for my whole life……the gallant figure of that maiden who gleamed silver at that ocean……」

If he put together Rodriguez’s story, it seemed that the flagship  that Rodriguez boarded received a concentrated attack and the pirates  managed to board the ship, bringing the battle into a close melee.

Half of the crews died while the enemies were still many. Even  Rodriguez was resigned to die. It was then Maggot jumped across from an  allied ship and annihilated the pirates by her lonesome.

It was as though Maggot was flying above the ship that was fiercely  shaking on the sea. No, in fact she was mostly fighting while in the  air.

She was too fast that to Rodriguez it looked lke Maggot was gliding on the deck rather than running.

Baldr was seriously questioning whether his mother was really human like a heartless son.

「If you’re Maggot-dono’s son, that means you are the son of my life  savior. If there is anything that I can be of help then just ask me.」

「For us to meet like this must be some kind of destiny at work too.  If you don’t mind then there is a serious matter that I wish to ask……how  is the situation right now with the successor of Prince Abrego?」

Rodriguez grinned joyfully.

It seemed he got interest just how knowledgeable the boy before him was.

「Do you know my position?」

「I believe that you are related with the second queen as her cousin.  I’m aware that you should support the second prince due to your family  ties. However such matter is unrelated with whether the second prince is  in advantage or not.」

「Have you considered that I might lie to you?」

「──If it’s a lie that can be seen through easily, then I can only say  that Lord Rodriguez will regret it later on. Besides as Sanjuan Kingdom  citizen, you must not wish to allow intervention from other country  carelessly.」

What was important for Baldr──which was to say Mauricia Kingdom was  to build a friendly relationship with the next heir to the throne. They  didn’t have any wish to take part in deciding who would be the next heir  of the throne.

Also Sanjuan Kingdom naturally didn’t wish to be indebted to Mauricia Kingdom too much.

「Then I too shall speak without holding anything back in deference to  Baldr-dono……the second prince, his highness Franco is superior to the  third prince, his highness Pedro in insight and ability without any  doubt. However unfortunately he doesn’t desire the throne.」

「His highness Franco, doesn’t wish for the throne?」

「At the very least he doesn’t wish for it as much as the queen dowager Elena-dono. Though I can’t claim to know the reason why.」

It wasn’t hard to imagine that the reason Rodriguez knew this  information was because of his blood relationship with the second  prince.

If this information was commonly known, then the race for the throne should have been decided since a long time ago.

Baldr felt thankful to Rodriguez who easily provided him with this information. At the same time he felt a chill.

If Franco lost in this race, there was a possibility that Rodriguez  would also get demoted due to his status as Franco’s relative. And yet  he still told Baldr about this.

Or perhaps his true intention was to distance Franco from the throne?

It seemed from now on Baldr would be constantly pressed to do  advanced information gathering and making high level political decision.  It made Baldr felt something close to a resignation.

(As I thought, there is no way I’ll be able to finish my duty as ambassador peacefully without any problem……)

.

Baldr didn’t ask whether he should support Franco or Pedro.

A foreigner shouldn’t decide anything like that. In the first place  he should avoid any careless intervention as much as possible.

Rodriguez told him this much information was nothing more than a  declaration of his friendliness toward Baldr regardless of what kind of  intention Baldr had. If Baldr asked for even more information that this  or made any unnecessary enquiry, his evaluation toward Baldr would fall  and in the worst case he could even turn into an enemy.

「I’m grateful for the precious information. I won’t forget this debt.」

「No no, compared to my debt to Maggot-dono for saving my life, I’m  ashamed that this is the most I can do. Please don’t mind it.」

Rodriguez was maintaining a calm expression while saying that, but he was astonished in the inside.

Baldr hadn’t completely trusted Rodriguez, but he also kept his  respect toward him──his discernment in analyzing the information while  still being careful so that he wouldn’t overstep his position was really  unthinkable coming from someone who was still a boy.

Although his appearance was still that of a fourteen years old boy, he was like a completely different person inside.

Thinking back, Baldr’s mother Maggot was also even more absurd.

(……Now then, I only hope that his ability to invite trouble  everywhere he goes won’t be similar with his mother. It will be for his  own sake too……)

If Baldr could hear what Rodriguez was thinking, he might cry due to  the misfortune of the blood that was flowing inside his body.

Without even knowing of what Rodriguez was thinking, Baldr gulped the fruit wine to satisfy his dry throat.

The fruit wine that was cooled using underground water permeated into  his body that was tired from heat and humidity like a rain that came  after a drought.

.

Part 3

「Yes! God hasn’t abandoned me!」

The second queen of Sanjuan Kingdom Elena(エレーナ) couldn’t hold back  from shouting with exultation at the tragic sudden death of the crown  prince Abrego.

If the eldest son of the first queen Maria(マリア) was still alive, the  rule of the eldest son succeeding the throne would be unshakable, but if  he died then it was only natural for her son, the second prince Franco  to succeed the throne.

Among the vassals, there were also some who said that the third  prince Pedro who was born from Maria should succeed the throne. However,  Maria didn’t have a firm political foundation in Sanjuan Kingdom  because she was a princess from a small island country called  Majorca(マジョルカ).

The number of vassals who supported Elena’s son Franco was more than  Pedro faction because she was a daughter of an influential great noble  in Sanjuan Kingdom.

Her skin that was starting to look slightly emaciated because she was entering her thirty reddened in excitement. Elena laughed.

「You will get what’s coming for you Maria……how dare a mere pirate little girl like you……made this me lose face!」

.

Originally it was Elena who first became the fiancée of the king Carlos(カルロス).

Elena’s father was the viceroy of the large city Cordoba that was  located inland. When she was still a young girl, Elena never doubted  that she would be the one standing beside Carlos as the queen.

However Sanjuan Kingdom’s pillar of economy was the overseas trade.  The country was unable to endure the damage from the frequent piracy and  chose to form an alliance with Majorca Kingdom, an island country  located at the south. Elena’s position took turn for the worse with  that.

Carlos took the princess of Majorca Kingdom, Maria as his wife.  Because of that Maria who had been revered by everyone around her since  she was little had to content herself with the position of the second  queen.

Majorca was a small country that seemed like it could be easily  erased from the map. The princess of that country wasn’t only in a  higher position than her, her son would also succeed the throne of this  Sanjuan Kingdom. That fact brought much despair and fury inside Elena’s  heart.

──She couldn’t endure it anymore.

Now that Abrego had died, she would put her son Franco on the king’s throne no matter what she had to do and left that womanMaria speechless.

However she had a concern. She expected that her father’s cousin Joan  who was also the prime minister to become her biggest supporter, but he  died due to that epidemic.

It didn’t stop just there, several of her noble acquaintances also  died from the disease. It threw the palace’s map of influence into a bit  of chaos.

At that time there was also a risk of her and her irreplaceable son getting infected by the epidemic too.

It was really annoying. The bloodline of that woman really brought nothing but trouble.

「Just wait Franco. Your mother swear she will prepare a position that is worthy for you.」

Elena brushed up her red hair that looked like a blazing fire and smiled sweetly.

.

Part 4

Sanjuan Kingdom’s capital Cadiz was an enormous port city that was in  the possession of a naturally good harbor. Due to the civil war in  Trystovy Dukedom, the number of ship there had been drastically reduced,  so right now the harbor here could boast as one of the harbors with  most trade quantity in the continent.

Two layers of huge rampart were surrounding the outer circumference of the city. Their length was more than thirty kilometer.

Although it had different structure, this city was also impregnable just like Mauricia’s capital Cameron.

Baldr keenly felt just how wide the world was while speaking to the knights who were standing guard at the castle gate.

「I am Baron Baldr Severn Cornelius. I came as an ambassador of  Mauricia Kingdom. I wish to be granted the honor to have an audience  with his majesty.」

「……Please wait here for a short while.」

The knight guarding the gate politely bowed his head before turning around along with his colleague.

The two knights with large built disappeared behind the gate with  clanking metallic sound of their armor. Several soldiers were staying  behind to continue their guard.

It seemed Rodriguez had contacted the palace beforehand. It didn’t take that long until their escort arrived.

「──I shall serve as your guide. I am a knight of the palace’s security troops, Sepata Sarmiento(セパタ・サルミエント). Please this way.」

The previous knights returned along with a giant who was more than two meter tall.

He had a toned and proportional body built. For Baldr who had faced  numerous outstanding warriors, it was clear that he was one of the  foremost fighters in Sanjuan Kingdom.

They passed a corridor with good ventilation that was suitable for a  southern country. There they were met with a garden that was decorated  with richly colored flowers. This too was something characteristic to a  southern country.

It was a sight that even Masaharu and Sanai who were sleeping inside him never saw before. Baldr’s eyes widened slightly.

(Good grief, I’d be able to relax and enjoy a lot of things here if only there isn’t this ambassador duty……)

「It looks like this sight pleased you.」

「Yes, a splendid garden like this will be hard to find in Mauricia.」

Sepata noticed the change in his expression and peered into Baldr’s eyes with deep interest.

It seemed this man was really attentive unlike what his appearance  suggested. From his bearing and his manner, he might come from an upper  class noble family.

「You won’t be able to find the vegetation in this garden anywhere  else but at Sanjuan even if you search the whole continent. Although  it’s the pride of our country, it’s certainly not something that can be  seen so often.」

Sepata spoke proudly. It left a good impression in Baldr.

For him to be able to feel this honestly proud toward his homeland  meant that he had little dissatisfaction toward the royal family.

「Please continue walking. His majesty is waiting.」

They arrived in front of a door that was even larger than Sepata’s body. There he slowly bent at the waist.

It seemed he wouldn’t accompany Baldr inside.

Baldr faced Sepata and bowed before he pushed open the door with his palm.

The door that looked really heavy was opened in front of Baldr’s eyes  without any resistance as though it had been oiled very well.

Behind the door there was unexpectedly very few people.

The space could easily be filled with several hundred people, and yet  less than ten people were inside. The sight looked melancholic.

.

The current king Carlos V was known as a wise ruler who developed  Sanjuan Kingdom as a maritime nation, but on the other hand he was weak  in battle and in the past he was defeated often at naval battle.

Because of that the position of military officer in Sanjuan Kingdom was relatively on the rise.

However the prime minister Joan who had experience as military  minister too died from the cholera epidemic before. Because of that the  atmosphere in the palace was changing.

It was only logical that the civil officials were gaining prominence  when war was becoming more distant. The military affairs that had no  productivity whatsoever being reduced in peace time was also common as  proved in history.

The civil officials were supporting the intelligent and mild-mannered  second prince Franco in the successor problem this time. They were  maneuvering to rewrite the faction map within Sanjuan Kingdom.

Franco had a mother who was a daughter of a duke and he also obtained  overwhelming support from the palace’s civil officials. But actually  there was a reason here why he couldn’t rest on his laurels.

The military that feared the civil officials gaining strength decided  to recommend the third prince Pedro to succeed the throne with the  backing of Majorca Kingdom that was also an allied country and a fellow  maritime country.

.

「I am the king of Sanjuan, Carlos.          I’m greatly obliged by the consideration of Mauricia’s king.」

「It’s an honor to be able to be in the presence of your majesty. My  name is Baron Baldr Severn Cornelius. I’m extremely blessed to be  bestowed with the chance of having an audience at your majesty’s  leisure.」

Even though Carlos was still at his forty which should be his peak as  a man, he looked emaciated like someone entering the latter half of his  sixty.

His eyes looked sinking in and his skin looked darkish and lacking in  luster. It was obvious from a glance how bad his complexion was.

Perhaps it couldn’t be helped for him to look like this because he  had just lost his eldest son who he put his hope onto, but this…….

「I have nothing but gratitude for the method to treat the disease  that we received the other day. Thanks to that the epidemic is finally  getting under control and we are able to decrease the number of victim  to less than half of our estimation. If only we learn of this treatment  method faster……no, it’s pointless even if I mention this.」

The chance of Prince Abrego being saved was high if they were able to  treat him correctly from the start. However the symptoms appeared  faster in the prince than even Princess Rachel at Mauricia. It was  impossible for the treatment method to reach him in time.

Of course Carlos also knew that much.

「I know that what I’m going to ask is shameless, but I wish that you  can keep it a secret that the treatment method came from Mauricia. At  the very least for the time being.」

「──We don’t have any intention to publicize it from the beginning.」

Carlos let out a tired sigh when he heard Baldr’s reply.

His large body and broad shoulders looked dispirited. It made him looked smaller than he was.

「Forgive me……right now we can’t have anything that might shake the royal authority.」

In other words, the fact that Abrego was playing a part at the spreading of cholera infection brought a huge effect.

Because of that, dissatisfaction among the commoners and nobles who became victim was increasing.

Although in the first place the cholera this time originated from a  brothel, so Abrego himself was also one of the victims, but it was an  irrefutable fact that Abrego was the one who brought in the germ into  the palace.

It seemed that the king wanted to make it looked like it was the  royal family that discovered the method to treat cholera in order to  calm down that ill feeling and maintain the reverence toward the royal  family.

In addition the hand pump that Baldr invented and was going to be  spread out among the people would surely be used by the royal family to  win back their popularity.

For Mauricia Kingdom, it would be more beneficial if Sanjuan Kingdom  was politically stable. This request from King Carlos was within the  expectation, so there wasn’t any reason for Baldr to refuse.

「My king has commanded me to answer all of your majesty Carlos’s demand no matter the cost. There is no need to feel reserved.」

「Umu, I shall never forget this debt forever.」

Carlos’s words were worth more than gold.

It could be said that more than half of Baldr’s objective had been  achieved just from being able to obtain those words. A king’s pledge  toward other country had that much weight.

There was no way someone as intelligent as Carlos couldn’t see  through Mauricia’s expectation for both their countries to fight  Trystovy together one day.

With this there effectively was a secret agreement formed between Mauricia Kingdom and Sanjuan Kingdom.

「Let me introduce my sons to you Baron Baldr……come forward Franco.」

With Carlos’s words, the young man standing at his right raised his head that was looking down.

Baldr was immediately turning speechless when he saw the young man’s face.

Baldr himself also had a face that could be mistaken as a girl.  However his body built was almost completely like an adult. No one had  ever mistook his gender anymore within these several years.

On the other hand, Franco’s translucent looks could only be seen as a beautiful girl no matter how anyone saw him.

Red hair that was sparkling like it was blazing, glistening almond  shaped eyes. Small and well ordered bridge of the nose and bright red  lips like ripe fruit. His features reminded Baldr of the actress of  Takarazuka Revue in Masaharu’s memory.

Rather than a man with feminine appearance, this person’s appearance  made Baldr felt like it would be more accurate to describe him as a  beauty dressed in man’s clothing.

「My name is Franco Cordoba de Sanjuan(フランコ・コルドバ・デ・サンファン). Please to be your acquaintance.」

「It’s my pleasure. I’m extremely grateful to be able to obtain your highness’s favor.」

France elegantly lowered his head with a sway of his willowy slim waist. Baldr hurriedly bowed back.

Because of that Baldr missed how his extremely problematic childhood friend was reflexively letting her muttering slipped out.

「Oo……how beautiful! For such person to be a male, this must be a guidance from god!」

If Baldr’s ear caught that mutter, he might punch his fellow traveler with all his strength.

Teresa who should harbor strong sexual interest toward the same sex  was staring at Franco’s face intently with the face of a maiden in love.

.

Teresa was aware of her sexual disposition when she was eight years old.

Before, after she got acquainted with Baldr, her father Mattis who  was planning to have his daughter married to Baldr asked her「What do you  think about Baldr after playing with him?」, she answered vaguely「He is a  really interesting guy」.

After that, in contrast to her father expectation, although she got  closer with Baldr, there was no romantic emotion blooming between them.  Instead her interest was directed toward beautiful girl Seyruun at  Baldr’s side.

She liked small and adorable things. She thought it was because she  was a female, but before long she noticed that the like of other female  was different from her like.

There was a girl called Rina who was a childhood friend of Teresa.

She was a lively pretty girl who would always move around tirelessly. She often took Teresa out to river or lake to play house.

Years passed and one day Rina fell in love.

The person she liked was a merchant’s son who was a friend of her big brother. He was a smart boy two years older than her.

Rina who was awakened to love looked like she was spilling out  radiance like beautifully blooming flower. It rustled Teresa’s chest.

She felt an intense jealousy that she was feeling for the first time  since she was born. At that time Teresa finally realized that the  jealousy didn’t come from of a reason like because her best friend was  going to be taken away.

She loved Rina.

She wanted to embrace her petite body.

She wanted to lickity lick her healthily tanned skin.

To be more specific, she wanted to do this and that to the girl’s secret and important part…….

For some reason a suspicious Teresa who sported an ecstatic smile and blushing cheeks could be found there.

In other words, she could feel lust only toward a beautiful girl of  the same sex. Teresa wondered what kind of prank the god played on her.

It was the moment of sudden emergence of sexual harassment devil  Teresa who later on would drive Seyruun and numerous other beautiful  girls into the bottom of terror.

Of course it went without saying that her confession to her first  love was broken to pieces in vain with a single word of 「Pervert!」.

.

That pervert Teresa of all people couldn’t take off her gaze from the fully-fledged male Franco even for an instant.

Teresa had welcomed her fifteenth birthday slightly earlier than  Baldr just the other day. For her this was her first time to have her  heart stolen this badly by a man.

She didn’t even feel this much impact when she met Baldr, one of her very few male friends.

Her chest felt painful as though her heart was in an eagle grip.

Teresa who was the very picture of arrogance was holding her breath  while simply staring without being unable to do anything else. Baldr  would surely open his eyes wide like saucer if he noticed this.

「Aa……how beautiful……I can’t believe there is an existence this beautiful in this world.」

Yes, France looked more beautiful and bewitching than anybody else she knew.

If there was a problem, it was that his beauty wasn’t the beauty of a man by any means, but the beauty of a woman.

.

「Welcome to Sanjuan Kingdom. I can’t give enough thanks to Lord Baldr  for bringing the treatment method for that terrifying disease into our  country.」

Franco lowered his head and spoke his gratitude with a high pitched  and delicate soprano that also didn’t sound like it was a voice that  belonged to a male at all.

As a matter of fact, the cholera that Abrego brought caused a grave danger to the royal family.

Although Franco didn’t catch the disease, if the sick people weren’t  isolated and their wastes disposed just like the instruction from  Mauricia told them, nobody knew what would happen.

It was even possible that the royal family including the king would be annihilated.

No one could object even if Baldr was called as the savior of this  country with how he protected the honor and the continuance of the royal  family.

Most likely the reason Welkin sent Baldr here as an ambassador despite his young age was also because of that.

Baldr could clearly imagine in his mind Welkin’s figure chuckling with a villainous expression.

「We can’t recognize your accomplishment publicly because of our  circumstances, but if there is anything that I can possibly be of help  then I shall do so with all my power. Both of us are also close in age  to each other, so I’ll be grateful if we can be friends.」

Franco had just celebrated his seventeenth birthday, but when he  looked at Baldr, he couldn’t believe that Baldr was still fourteen and  half a year old. He even questioned that perhaps he was the younger one  here.

Both of them shouldered heavy burden that didn’t suit their age and  possessed inherent talent from their birth. Perhaps it was only natural  for France to feel an affinity to Baldr.

But putting that aside──Franco thought.

He wondered who was the red haired young man whose gaze had been fixed on him since some time ago.

That passionate gaze that seemed like it was delirious with fever was something he had seen before.

Knights who didn’t know about Franco’s status would occasionally  think of him as a woman and gazed at him like this. But, it was rare for  a man to stare at him so blatantly like this.

When he looked closer, the young man was very good looking. Many women would surely get agitated by his look.

His faint red hair and large eyes that were filled with strong  curiosity were eye-catching. His slender and balanced body built, his  lustrous skin that was like porcelain, all of those seemed to be wasted  for a man.

If Franco could be frank, this young man fit his preference if only this young man was a woman.

Franco should be used to getting showered with attention, but for  some reason this blatant stare made his heart to throb. It became a bit  hard for him to maintain his smile.

「Franco has very few people who he can call friend due to his status.  So Baldr-dono, you don’t need to feel any reservation in your  interaction with him.」

「……Then please allow this lowly one to accept your majesty’s kind offer……I will be honored if your highness can call me Baldr.」

It was here Teresa who had been keeping her quiet until now followed her impulse and yelled.

「My name is Teresa Bradford. Please allow me to be counted as one of your highness’s friend too!」

「Eh……? You’re……a woman?」

Franco who had been under the impression that Teresa was a man until now let out a shocked voice.

His eyes reflexively turned toward Teresa’s hopelessly flat chest,  but Teresa’s bearing with the knight uniform she was dressed in was one  that really should called as a beauty in male clothing, so Franco wasn’t  the only one who was surprised to realize that Teresa was a woman.

Even the king Carlso was also standing up in surprise to stare at Teresa.

「──You said your name is Bradford, are you Viscount Mattis’s daughter by any chance?」

「Yes. My father is a mere feudal lord of a remote region. I’m amazed that your majesty is aware of him.」

「I met Lord Mattis once when he was still a member of the Azure Flame  Knight Order. At that time Lord Mattis was already a vice captain, but  it was said that he was the strongest one in the knight order.」

That father who was a whipped husband by her mother at home was greatly renowned until foreign country too.

Every time he opened his mouth he would annoyingly pester her with  words like 「Be more feminine」 or 「Go marry」, but it seemed her father  was more competent than she thought. Teresa changed her opinion of her  father slightly.

Even so it didn’t mean that she had the slightest intention to listen to Mattis’s words.

Carlos seemed to see a vestige of Mattis in Teresa’s appearance. His tired face changed into a delighted smile.

It seemed a nostalgic memory of the past was awakened inside him and he managed to clear up his gloomy feeling somewhat.

「Now, Pedro too, introduce yourself.」

「Yes, Chichi-ue.」

The other young boy walked forward in high spirits after Carlos’s urging.

The young boy had a lively dominating aura and darkish skin that was  the characteristic of a southern country. It seemed the blood that he  inherited from his mother who came from Majorca Kingdom was appearing  strongly in him.

「I’m Pedro Majorca de Sanjuan(ペードロ・マジョルカ・デ・サンファン). It’s a joyful event to be able to meet you all!」

The young boy looked honest without any falsehood in his words.

Looking at this boy, it was really hard to imagine that there was  actually a dispute for the throne between him and Franco going on right  now.

Perhaps this boy himself wasn’t really aware of what was actually going on.

(Good grief……looks like it will be troublesome no matter who between these two will succeed the throne. That sly old fox……)

The second prince Franco was 17 years old. The third prince Pedro was 13 years old. Both of them were close in age to Baldr.

Although each of them had their own faction, there was nobody better  than Baldr to ask each of these youths their true intention.

These two princes were also already feeling more curious rather than wary toward Baldr.

Someone younger would be able to reduce the wariness of other party  better than someone older. Even the royalty of other country wasn’t an  exception to this tendency.

Most likely King Welkin who appointed Baldr to be an ambassador had estimated until this point.

It certainly couldn’t be helped for other people to call that person as a scheming fox.

Regardless whether Baldr intended it or not, being able to approach  the royal family like this should bring him various opportunities to  obtain information or interfere with events. Baldr had the duty to make  use of the information he obtained and brought benefit to Mauricia  Kingdom.

Baldr wanted to hold his head in vexation because of this excessively  troublesome situation, while beside him Teresa kept smiling widely and  staring passionately at Franco.

In respond Franco also wasn’t feeling displeased by that gaze. Rather  it felt like the blood circulation in his face sped up instead.

.

Part 5

「How humiliating! How can they act servile to a mere ambassador of Mauricia!」

The military minister Marquis Santacruz(サンタクルズ) couldn’t hide his  fury from getting excluded from the greeting that Mauricia Kingdom’s  ambassador was giving to the king.

It seemed that other than the royal family, only the prime minister was permitted to attend it.

Santacruz had been vaguely feeling that the king was trying to weaken  the power of the military that had become too strong. It seriously  stimulated his sense of danger.

At this rate, the military would be unable to get involved with any  important decision-making. They would only go down the path of decline  like this.

It was something that couldn’t possibly be allowed by any means in order to guarantee the safety of Sanjuan Kingdom.

「……Even though those Trystovy bastards are letting the pirates acting  as they please because they’re affected by the civil war……good grief,  that war amateur doesn’t know anything!」

By war amateur, he of course meant his king Carlos.

King Carlos was competent as a politician, but his talent in sea  battle was nonexistent. He repeatedly lost even against Trystovy  Dukedom’s fleet that should be exhausted from civil war.

At present Sanjuan Kingdom was able to exert influence at Marmara Sea  more than they should be able to because of their alliance with Majorca  Kingdom and because they had the hero Diego de Morias(ディエゴ・デ・モリアス) who  took command of the sea battle in the place of the king.

If only that hero didn’t die young, they might not be in this mess right now.

Diego had continued to win many sea battles with his uncommon ability  in tactical command. He got sick on his ship and died on his beloved  ship before a competent healer from the land could arrive.

Perhaps that way of dying could be said as suitable for the hero who  refused promotion to be the military minister due to his fixation to the  front line.

However, the death of Diego who could even reach toward the seat of  prime minister if he wished for it was undoubtedly leaving a great hole  in the cohesive force of the military.

In addition was the death of the prime minister Joan who was also a member of the navy in the past.

Even the military wasn’t just formed with nothing but combat unit.

Rather the organization called military needed the ability for  intricate political negotiation even more than the administrative  organization. It was for securing budget from those administrative  bureaucrats.

Perhaps Diego chose to remain at the frontline because he hated that kind of secretive and ugly politic.

However as the one who was entrusted with the military at the present  time, Santacruz couldn’t possibly remain clean like Diego. He had the  duty to protect the livelihood of his subordinates. There was no way he  could accept the decision to reduce the post and number of personnel in  the military.

Bureucrats would sometimes tak action that ran counter to the  national benefit in order to protect the interests of their own  organization, but even Santacruz who was famous as a brave general who  cherished his own subordinates at the battlefield couldn’t stay  unaffected by such chronic disease of bureaucrats.

「……I have to put his highness Pedro on the throne no matter  what……though it’s troubling that his highness himself is still too young  and useless……」

In that case Pedro still had a value to be used as their puppet.

The world couldn’t go with everything going well for the convenience of the people living in it.

Nobles and bureaucrats were already gathering under Prince Franco’s  banner. Even if the military chose to support Prince Franco now, their  share of the pie would be too little with how late they entered the  faction.

In order to protect the military’s interests, they had to outmaneuver  Prince Franco and put Prince Pedro as the crown prince no matter what.

The problem was, unlike the nobles in the palace, few people among  the military officers had the skill for this kind of political maneuver.

Spreading gossip, bribe, honey trap, appealing to the duty and  humanity of other people, mobilizing people for taking care of  troublesome dodgy dealings. Santacruz who was involved in the government  as the military minister wasn’t good at those kinds of things.

Because those who originated from the military grasped the instrument  of violence called the military, they tended to prefer dealing with  things directly rather than playing with roundabout method to solve  problem.

「……Call Bartholomeo here.」

Santacruz rang a bell to call his secretary and gave him a short order.

The secretary who knew of the name as the leader of the military’s  secret intelligence unit looked tense from nervousness and bowed deeply  toward his superior.

.

Bartholomeo de Cervantes(バルトロメオ・デ・セルバンテス).

Cervantes House was originally a mid-level noble house in Sanjuan  Kingdom. Several generations age they were embroiled in a political  strife and fell into ruin. Bartholomeo was born from parents who only  had high pride despite living a life that was even poorer compared to  the commoners.

He learned to steal in order to fill his empty stomach when he was a  child. Before anyone knew it he became the leader of the young men of  the city and dirtied his hand with even more crimes.

But even with such past, Bartholemeo didn’t become a fully-fledged  residence of the underworld because his parents used their past  connection and enrolled him into the military academy.

However there was no way a man who didn’t hesitate to do anything for his objective would be able to fit in a proper army.

He was infamous for how frequently he entered the detention barrack,  but he was very capable in individual battle and leading small force, so  he was able to safely graduate without getting expulsion.

Perhaps it could be said as some kind of miracle.

After graduation, it was decided that he was to be assigned to the  liaison department of Sanjuan Kingdom’s navy. It was an intricacy agency  under the direct command of the military minister──its nickname was  Akaishi Agency.

The agency was responsible of illegal activity like information  gathering, guerilla war, drug deal, assassination and kidnapping,  Bartholomeo who was ordered to join a covert unit like this was truly  like a fish that had found water.

He immediately distinguished himself and formed an espionage network  that was formed from the lower strata people in the capital. He also  succeeded in raising illegal fund from drug and smuggling.

He had an external appearance that was clearly looked suspicious by anyone who saw him.

He had broad forehead and eyes with the white part occupying the  majority of his eyes. It made him looked like a cruel looking reptile.  He was slim and had long limbs, showing a surprising degree of agility.  On top of that he was also a master of disguise. He could also change  appearance into a very kind looking stall owner which made this person  even nastier.

.

「Are you calling for me, your excellency?」

No matter how many times Santacruz heard it, he couldn’t get used to  the monotone and dark voice of this man. He lightly grimaced in  displeasure. This man was a convenient man to have, but physiological  revulsion wasn’t something that could be suppressed with logic.

「How many people you can mobilize in the capital right now?」

「Around twenty people if it’s the puppets. If it’s the puppet masters then at present……there are three.」

Santacruz didn’t even try to hide his bitter expression and glared at  Bartholomeo. The number of people who knew of their existence was  limited even in the army, the elite assassins of Akaishi Agency, the  『puppetmasters』.

「──Why so few?」

Bartholomeo didn’t even falter against the gaze of Santacruz who reigned at the center of the army and chuckled in amusement.

「Most of my subordinates are assigned mission at other countries and the borders.」

For a military, most of their enemy was the foreign forces. There was  no turn for them inside the country except to maintain public order or  disposing traitor who tried to reach to other country.

It was only natural that there were few members who could be mobilized in the capital.

Santacruz’s face blushed with anger because this man was making fun  of this situation where he had to turn fellow countrymen into enemy.

「You don’t need to think of anything unnecessary.」

「By your will──it’s a trivial matter as long as feed and work keep coming my way.」

Wealth that he couldn’t possibly own even if he served as a knight  for his whole life and prey that he could turn into an unspeaking flesh  bag by his own hand.

As long as he was provided with those two things, he wouldn’t shirk at all even if he was forced to do inhumane job.

To push everybody else than him into misfortune, and to squeeze out  riches and life from everybody else than him were the greatest joy in  Bartholomeo’s life.

Santacruz stopped to even trying to hide his scorn at Bartholomeo and spat out his next words.

「Prepare some skilled men. If you can guarantee the secrecy of this  matter even if they’re alive or dead then I don’t mind even if you use  outsiders. There is also no limit to the fund you can use. Kill the  second prince Franco Cordoba de Sanjuan as soon as possible.」

「I shall give everything I have to accomplish this task.」

「Failure is not allowed. In the slightest chance that you fail this,  there will be no place for you in this country forevermore.」

「I humbly accept this mission.」

Bartholomeo’s expression that was blank like a Noh mask smiled widely like a good-natured old man.

It was a content smile that looked truly happy without the slightest malice that could be felt from it.

For Bartholomeo, it was desirable for his target to be a person with  blessed life. The higher their status the better it would be.

If the second prince who had the seat as the next king within his  reach was to fall halfway in his journey, he could only imagine how  great that person’s regret would be.

While he was feeling exaltation from obtaining the ultimate prey,  Bartholomeo was also starting to rack his brain calmly of how he was to  assassinate this VIP.

Of course, he didn’t have the slightest intention to concede the  special viewer seat to watch the prince’s death to other people.

.

Part 6

After the audience with the king, Baldr and his group rested in the  inn that had been prepared for them. Franco visited them at the evening  there.

The unexpected visit surprised Baldr, but this was also a rare chance if he considered his mission.

With how close they were in age, they could have fun having small  talks with each other easily. When the topic turned into the matter of  the water pump, Franco spoke with a bright expression.

「Baldr, can you let me accompany you for the pump installation tomorrow?」

「But of course! I’ll tell you everything about them!」

「Eh, right……I’ll be in your care.」

Teresa vigorously replied from the side without even giving any time for Baldr to answer.

The docile Franco was unable to deny Teresa’s good will.

No, rather her frank good will was tickling him even if it was  embarrassing. Even so he didn’t feel any unpleasantness at all from her  behavior.

Franco felt like there was a part of him somewhere in his heart that  was happy from this. He couldn’t really form words exactly like he  thought when he was in front of Teresa.

He turned to face Baldr once more while fidgeting restlessly.

「If there are any other places in our country that you want to see, I want you to tell me without any reservation.」

The death of the crown prince, and then the thousands or tens of  thousands of victims from the contagious disease──in order to clear away  the dark wind blowing through Sanjuan Kingdom right now, they wanted to  grasp even at straws.

Baldr too wouldn’t be reluctant to lend his help here if it was within his power to do so in order to make them owe him a favor.

「If it’s your highness Franco’s request, I won’t be reluctant to take one for the team……」

「I told you to stop with the formality……」

「No no, as expected please spare me from that.」

Baldr would mercilessly called Prince William without any honorific  when he went home, but as expected he didn’t have the courage to easily  call the prince of other country without honorific.

「T-t-t-then can I call you Franco?」

「Y-yeah……I don’t mind Miss Teresa……」

Franco’s face reddened and he nodded against the pressure from Teresa who brought her face closer with a rough nasal breathing.

「Please call me Teresa too!」

「U-understood……Teresa.」

(Control yourself already, Teresa……)

Baldr held his stomach that was attacked by a dull pain. Brooks and Oliver were staring at him with pity.

.

Part 7

Elena’s lips broke into a smile when she heard the report that her  son Franco and the ambassador from Mauricia Kingdom were getting along  well.

Although their faction was in advantage due to the support of the  nobles and bureaucrats, it was still painful to have the organization of  violence that was the military turning into their enemy.

If they could obtain the support of Mauricia Kingdom, then it should  become a great advantage for Franco in order to hold the military in  check from doing something reckless like launching a coup.

Elena took a stroll through the garden in a good mood. Then she  caught sight of a familiar silhouette walking through the corridor.

「Oh, are you heading somewhere Maria-sama?」

「Isn’t this Elena-sama, how do you do in this fine day?」

The first queen Maria was walking through the palace corridor. Elena’s lips twisted in pleasure when she caught sight of her.

Maria who was wearing a black mourning dress while heading somewhere.  Elena had an idea of where her destination was, but she couldn’t help  herself from asking Maria intentionally.

「I have received a call from his majesty today, so I plan to visit Abrego’s grave earlier before that.」

Maria casted her gaze down apologetically.

Not only Elena’s expectation was betrayed, Maria was also  unconsciously showing to Elena that the affection of the king still  hadn’t left her. She became speechless in humiliation.

Maria with her petite body and humble attitude also looked like a tidy woman who quietly supported her husband.

However Elena was thinking of Maria as a terrible bitch who led man around by the nose.

Carlos didn’t favor Elena who was strong minded with strong political  intention because he believed that he shouldn’t let woman have any  authority. It was the result of the education he received as a monarch  growing up in regard to governing the country. But it was impossible for  Elena to have that much consideration for other people’s circumstance.

「Hmph! Just be careful that your other son won’t be infected by disease too!」

Elena left that shark parting remark before turning around with loud footsteps.

She questioned why her husband was only affectionate to that kind of mediocre woman.

Elena wasn’t inferior at anything against Maria, whether it was at  beauty, influence, or education. Far from that, she should be  overwhelmingly superior compared to her.

She was just a little girl who was only accidentally born in the  royal family of a small country. She only had good luck that the  position of the first queen of a big country like Sanjuan Kingdom could  fall in her lap.

On top of that, that woman’s son also took the right to inherit the glorious throne of Sanjuan. It was completely unforgivable.

Recently his majesty’s vitality and stamina were remarkably weakening.

If by any chance his majesty got cajoled by that woman, then she would become unable to be picky with her method.

「Perhaps I should consult with father……」

If it was her father who was the viceroy of Cordoba, he might teach her a good idea.

Elena herself would never acknowledge it but, in the first place she  didn’t have her own personal subordinate, or connection, or fund.

What she had was only bottomless malice and persistent fixation to grasp authority.

Even her father and her son were starting to her to be unmanageable,  but Elena herself didn’t notice that at all, not at the slightest.

For example, Elena’s first idea to do assassination. If it failed  then it didn’t matter how influential her family was, it was a gamble  that could bring risk of destruction in one night.

Without the backing of an organization at a national level, only  someone beyond help who didn’t know their own place or someone who was  so cornered they could see no other way would make that kind of gamble.

Elena who wasn’t aware of the danger to her own life was the stereotypical example of the former case.

Though perhaps it was exactly because she was someone like that, that  it was impossible for her to become an existence that was a clear  danger toward other.

.

Part 8

The people who lived in Cadiz were watching the work at the street corner with great interest.

The supervisor for the work of installing hand pump was Prince Franco on paper.

Baldr and his group hid their status while accompanying Franco as mere engineer.

For Sanjuan Kingdom that was located at the south and near the sea, well was a precious existence.

If by any chance a well became impossible to use, it was possible  that a single village would be gone from the number of the death in the  worst case.

Although this was a work that was sponsored by the royal family, a  troublesome looking tool was going to get attached to their precious  well that was their lifeline. It was natural for the people to be  concerned.

The number of well in this Cadiz that was near to the coastline was  limited, so a strict limit for drawing water was imposed to the  citizens.

The prerequisite here was completely different from Mauricia where it  was possible to obtain abundant water if people just dug the ground for  several meters.

That was exactly why the introduction of hand pump should bring a revolutionary convenience for them.

In the first place Baldr was only bringing in something that was already completed, so the work was finished very quickly.

「It’s finished with this. What’s left is only to pump using this handle and water will come out.」

When Baldr pulled at the handle that was curved like a bow, water poured out from the tap vigorously.

The spectators who saw that let out a surprised cheer.

「Water! Water came out!」

「Amazing! Drawing water will be easy from tomorrow!」

Drawing water was a job that was entrusted to women and children that  weren’t the main workforce, but it didn’t change the fact that drawing  water manually was still a really hard work. Especially for children,  this work was seen as a kind of torture.

It would be easy to understand if one try to imagine just how hard it  would be for a small child to pull up a bucket full of water from the  bottom of the well.

「Next if you put the bucket on this wheelbarrow, even a child will be able to carry water to some degree.」

Franco added to Baldr’s explanation.

「The royal palace will lend a certain amount of these tools to each  city. We won’t spare any effort if we can ease the people’s life even if  only slightly with that.」

「Thank you very much!」

「Sanjuan Kingdom banzai!」

This was a slightly sly method to raise popularity, but it was also a  fact that the quantity of work force had decreased due to the disease.

The people naturally rejoiced that the royal family was reducing their burden.

Besides Franco was greatly popular among the mass as the clear white  handsome youth. The effect of this popularity stunt was outstanding.

.

──There were multiple gazes staring at Franco.

The sources of the gazes were wearing various disguise. They were vigilantly searching for an opening to prey upon Franco.

However there was one reason that made them hesitated to attack.

It was the fault of the person who was moving around Franco irregularly all this time.

「Franco is really popular among the commoners.」

「Y-yes……even though I don’t have any authority myself……」

「No. The people understand Franco’s beautiful heart that is thinking of them.」

One person always attempted to do skinship with Franco every time  there was a chance and praised him exaggeratedly like this, so even the  sniper found it quiet hard to fix his aim at Franco.

This person was of course the sexual harassment devil……aka Teresa.

Franco responded to the cheers of the people by waving his hand.  Beside him, Teresa caught sight of beautiful flowers decorating a street  stall.

The flowers seemed to be a variety of golden-rayed lily. Its size was  only half of golden-rayed lily, so perhaps it was a variety that was  only grown in Sanjuan Kingdom.

「Boss, give me a bouquet of that.」

「R-right……」

The stall owner who was suddenly addressed by a young man who had  been acting friendly with the prince hurriedly prepared a bouquet of the  flower.

As expected it was impossible for common people to see through Teresa’s gender in the first meeting.

After Teresa who had been getting in the way finally went away, the  sniper with his crossbow at the ready fixed his aim toward Franco’s head  and took a shooting position.

His finger rested on the trigger. At the moment he was going to fire the arrow──.

Teresa returned and her finger casually touched Franco’s hair. A white flower was put on Franco’s glossy red hair as decoration.

「It looks good on you.」

As she expected, this flower really suited Franco.

Teresa smiled in satisfaction. Franco got bewildered and groaned with a hoarse voice.

(Just what’s wrong with me?)

It was unbefitting for a royalty like him to be flustered with a  clichéd coquetry of this level. Even though that should be the case…….

「T-thank you…………」

He could only say that just barely. Franco blushed bright red until  his ears from shame and broke out running to escape from Teresa. It was  unbearably embarrassing for him to stay together with Teresa like this.

It was at that timing a merciless arrow passed through the space  where Franco had been standing just now with sharp sound of slicing  through wind.

*Gazu-* The arrow pierced a stone wall with a dull sound. The guards  who witnessed that immediately turned their attention to the direction  where the arrow came from.

Even so, it never happened in the history of Sanjuan Kingdom for a  royalty to get their life targeted in the royal capital so openly in  broad daylight.

That negligence made the bodyguard knights to give half-baked reaction.

The attackers weren’t so amateur to miss this opening that only lasted for a moment.

If the surprise attack failed then they would go with assault.

Following the plan that had been decided beforehand, the men in disguise attacked the knights.

In addition the windows at the second floors of the building around  them broke, horse-drawn cabs stopped on the street, and figures of  people appeared.

The knights couldn’t help but falling into confusion by the sudden emergence of so many assassins baring their fangs.

Each knight was attacked by three people. The knights would at least  get injured. And then the attackers splendidly accomplished their  objective to not let the knights pursued Franco.

The number of knights who were assigned to be Franco’s guard was too few to smash this systematic attack.

──However that was only limited to the knights of Sanjuan Kingdom.

.

It was Baldr and Brooks who reacted the fastest toward the assassins whose number surpassed their ally overwhelmingly.

The vanguards of the assassins who believed the cover story that they  were engineers dispatched from Mauricia couldn’t mount a decent  opposition toward the two’s completely unexpected counterattack and got  mowed down.

「Good grief, could it be that I am really cursed?」

Baldr massaged his forehead in frustration. Brooks immediately retorted at him.

「……I can keep telling you that if you still don’t get just how cursed you are you know?」

「I just don’t want to accept it. This isn’t caused by any youthful indiscretion from me though.」

Baldr was uneasy inside his heart in contrast to his light tune.

He was late in chasing after Franco due to the suddenness of Franco’s action.

Teresa was following after him as though she was spurred by her  instinct, so it would be alright because she wouldn’t be defeated by  assassins of this level but…….

(I got a really bad premonition……)

Franco was still a royalty, furthermore he was the front runner to be  appointed as the next crown prince. These people were assassins sent to  assassinate such big shot.

Seeing how they chose to perform this kind of assault, they must have some kind of trump card.

Baldr held a certain level of trust toward his instinct──or rather toward his ability to sense danger.

He couldn’t feel relieved with his sixth instinct loudly telling him of danger like this.

In addition the opponent was someone with the capability to hide his  killing intent and presence that even Baldr couldn’t sense. It was an  even greater source of unease.

「……Don’t you die out there, Theresa.」

The assassins who perceived Baldr and Brooks as greater threat than the knights rushed toward them one after another.

Baldr held a sword with his right hand and a knife with his left hand. He stabbed two assassins at the same time casually.

Baldr was slaughtering assassins with merciless attack, but this was of fighting was far different from his original style.

Baldr’s movement that was clearly focusing on simply killing might be  indicating just how anxious Baldr was more eloquently than anything.

.

Part 9

Due to him reflexively saying his true feeling due to Teresa’s sudden  surprise attack, Franco was driven with shame so great he wanted to  enter a hole to hide.

(I was blushing and saying thank you because a girl put a flower on  my hair and told me it looked good on me? Just what’s wrong with me! I  want to redo it, I want to treat it like it never happened, or rather I  want to die!)

Even so Teresa’s face crossed at the back of his mind. Franco shook his head energetically while going red until his neck.

(I’ll become no good if I keep thinking about it! I’ll stop becoming me!)

──*Shiver*.

The chill that stabbed into him like an ice block inserted into his back might be the work of his survival instinct.

Franco unconsciously ducked and turned around toward the feeling like there was something sharp and cold attacking him.

There was a death god over there swinging a sword toward him happily.

「NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!」

Franco held his head and yelled like a child toward the lethal slash that was approaching before his eyes.

He had trained in sword routinely to a level that wouldn’t embarrass him as a royalty.

Franco had a slender built, but his skill wasn’t inferior compared to the average knight by any means.

However Franco who was showed the absolute reality of death approaching him couldn’t think of any way to resist.

「──Over my dead body!」

The assassin’s slash was deflected with a clear metallic sound.

The girl who came running with rough breathing glared at the assassin with her whole being.

Even with body strengthening, she would need to muster her strength  from the deepest part of her body in order to face this powerful enemy.

「Ku-ku-ku……are you tired of living already, you damn brat?」

「I won’t let you lay a single finger on my lovely princess!」

──*Throb*.

Teresa’s gallant proclamation made Franco’s heart to pound in his chest once more.

Even though I’m a man……even though I should be the one who take up a sword in order to protect her here!

He wondered why his chest felt this hot even though his life was in danger like this.

.

「What a show!」

Bartholomeo who was watching from a balcony by strengthening his  vision was laughing so joyfully while holding a glass with one hand.

The young man had really good eyes. Those were the eyes of young man  who never knew any setback and threw away his own life without any  hesitation for the sake of his justice.

However it’s too bad for you, the puppet master before you is the  strongest or second strongest even among all of my subordinates.

It didn’t matter how great the young man’s determination was, it  didn’t matter what kind of justice he had, it didn’t matter that he had  someone important to protect behind him. All of those were futile before  the unreasonable violence.

After all this world was made based on the law of the strong stealing from the weak.

Teresa too wasn’t as composed at the inside as her look suggested.

Although she had confidence in her skill, the skill of the man before her was undoubtedly superior then her.

It seemed she had to be prepared to lose her life here in order to protect Franco.

「I won’t let you die painlessly. I’ll let you watch how I reap that prince’s life.」

「Do you think a mere thug who attacked the princess can defeat the knight of justice?」

「That might be the case if this is a drama scene.」

「Life is a drama that god created. Don’t you know about that saying?」

The two were exchanging fierce sword slashes even while having such cynical conversation.

It was impossible for Teresa to block all the slashes of the assassin who was clearly superior in skill.

Her skin immediately got cut up in several places. Teresa’s white skin was dyed with fresh blood.

Although she managed to barely avoid lethal wound, Teresa understood  from the exchange that if the assassin got serious, he would be able to  easily inflict a deep wound to her.

(Too naïve, do you think my heart will yield with this?)

Hmph, Teresa snorted and strengthened her grip on her sword.

There was a hopeless gap in strength between the two, and then the  increasing number of wounds was gradually chipping off her life. It was  difficult to maintain her fighting spirit in such situation.

But Teresa knew.

Of the existence of Joker that could overturn this despairing situation.

No matter how ugly or unsightly her battle was, she just needed to protect Franco successfully until that Joker’s arrival.

「Stop! Stop already! What do you want? If it’s money then I can give you as much as you want──」

Seeing Franco crying and yelling made the assassin licked his lips in pleasure.

(That’s right. Struggle! Keep holding to that hope and despair until you go to hell!)

「It’s fine……I’ll protect you.」

Teresa’s face was starting to turn pale from all the blood she lost. Even so she smiled.

So that she could reassure Franco even if just for a bit.

「Now this is unpleasant……」

Unlike the prince who was the target, the other prey had been continuing to betray the man’s expectation since some time ago.

She should have understood the gap between their skill. This youth  wasn’t so unskilled that she wouldn’t be able to understand the gap  between them.

And yet, not only her fighting spirit kept staying unshakable, she  was even harboring hope in this situation. The man found such attitude  unpleasant. He was extremely displeased.

「Do you think you can stop this me with your level of skill? Or  perhaps you’re thinking that your ally will come running to save you?  Fool. All the guards have been killed to the last. It will easily take  half an hour until the guards hears the commotion and comes running  here.」

From what the man observed, even his lowest subordinates who were  composed of the poor people in the capital would be enough to defeat the  bodyguard knights of that level.

「Then that just mean it’s my duty as a knight to protect my pretty princess for half an hour more.」

「Ridiculous!」

There was no need to continue tormenting a prey that continued to betray his expectation like this.

Before he fought with the aim of exhausting the opponent. But then  the man changed his way of fighting to deal a fatal blow and attacked  Teresa fiercely.

Even so Teresa’s calm expression didn’t change.

Teresa’s face was commanding as though she was staring at a place  even further beyond the life and death. That face made Franco’s chest  tightened and he became unable to hold back his overflowing tears.

「Please! Someone……someone save Teresa!」

Franco joined his hands together to pray and squeezed out his words from his throat. It dulled the man’s sword tip slightly.

「Teresa? This fellow……is a woman?」

The man’s attack that aimed at Teresa’s heart stopped at piercing Teresa’s collarbone due to that miniscule hesitation.

Teresa fell backward like a marionette whose strings were severed. Franco reflexively caught her body in his arms.

Although the assassin just barely missed her vital, it was obvious  from a glance that she wouldn’t be able to avoid bleeding to death at  this rate.

「……I’ll give you my life. That’s why please, give me time to treat her at the very least!」

What a joke, the man snorted.

It was different from his original plan, but this too was an ideal situation that he could enjoy.

「It’s fine……there is no need to worry……I bought enough time. It’s fine now, my beloved princess.」

「Teresa-! My knight!」

Teresa’s limply entrusted her body weight on the chest of Franco who  was holding her tightly in his embrace. Her expression didn’t look  frustrated at the slightest.

「Now…………I’m leaving the rest to you, Baldr.」

Teresa lost consciousness. At the same time, the man felt an  overwhelming sword aura hitting his back and reflexively leaped to the  side while turning around.

This was a sword aura that came from someone who undoubtedly had  taken countless lives. It made cold sweat to pour out from his whole  body.

「……Who’s that? That man……!?」

Even Bartholomeo who was elegantly watching the battle couldn’t help  but yelling at the completely unexpected appearance of a strong warrior.

.

『Good job hanging on til’ now. Ye can leave the rest to me.』

Sanai woke up from his sleep because he sniffed the off-flavor of battle that only a warrior could understand.

The thick smell of death that no ordinary person could sense──it made Sanai’s warrior blood to boil.

(Hou, so manslayer also exists in this world.)

After cutting down the hit men who held him back with a single sword  and catching sight of the man who was pursuing Teresa and Franco, Sanai  was convinced that this man was a genuine manslayer.

Furthermore the man wasn’t a mere manslayer, but a fallen manslayer.

This man was a nasty type that devoured other people’s misfortune for  the sake of his own pleasure──it was a type that Sanai hated most.

Sanai had seen it with his own eyes many times, how men who were  honest and simple at the beginning fell to be this kind of manslayer  while wandering through battlefields.

There were two types of manslayer.

The first type was like this assassin. A type that could only feel  they were really alive by taking away other people’s life. This type of  person couldn’t help but killing people in order for them to enjoy their  own life.

But people who killed other people for the sake of pleasure like this  man, all of them without exception would be deteriorating in character.  That deterioration would appear in their sword without any way to hide  it.

A sword that was wielded for the sake of enjoying murder would never rival a sword that was wielded solely for killing human.

A genuine life-taking sword that existed solely for the sake of killing human.

A man called Kamiizumi Mondo Yasutsuna(上泉主水泰綱), a terrifying colleague of Sanai was a pure practitioner of such sword.

.

This taciturn colleague who obtained the favor of Uesugi Clan was also a fallen man in a different meaning from the usual.

Sanai could remember the figure of Mondo who died in battle at Yamagata very clearly like it happened only yesterday.

With his terrifying strength, if he took his sword in other place  than the battlefield, then even Sanai with his skill would hardly have  any chance to win. That was just how gifted of a swordsman he was.

Mondo had a mild-mannered appearance and in politic he belonged to  the moderate faction instead. But Sanai was very familiar with him, of  how much Mondo was a demon of the sword that shouldered the inescapable  karma of cutting other man.

It was said that Mondo was a grandchildren of Kamiisumi Nobutsuna, a sword saint and the founder of Shinkage style.

When speaking of Kamiisumi Nobutsuna, his disciples were a gathering  of truly distinguished master fencer like Marume Kurando who taught the  Taisha style at Shimatsu, Yagyu Sekishuusai of Yagyuu Shinkage style,  Hikita Bungorou of Hikitakage style, and so on.

When thinking of the renown of his disciples later on, his existence  as someone who reigned above them was enough to cause a chill.

Mondo himself was serving the Later Hojo clan together with his  father, but he became a ronin after the clan’s defeat at Toyotomi  Hideyoshi’s Odawara subjugation. After that he served Uesugi Kagekatsu  right before the battle of Sekigahara.

There were other noted names like Kurama Tanba, Sai Douji, Sorimachi  Daizen, etc. who also served Uesugi clan at the same time period, but  even among them Mondo was giving off an extraordinary presence.

「A sword that cannot cut man has no value whatsoever.」

Together with the end of the Warring States period, sword art was  transforming into a part of warrior’s cultivation in order to heighten  their spirituality under the name of life-saving sword, the principle of  how a killing sword may became a sword of life depending on how it was  used. But at the time period when Sanai and Mondo lived, sword was still  a genuine path of manslaying. That time period could be said as the  last era of such path.

This was because the inner mysteries of sword, the logic of blade was impossible to comprehend without cutting human.

It didn’t matter how hard one trained using bamboo sword or wooden  sword, the logic of blade that was for the sake of cutting flesh and  severing bone couldn’t be learned inside dojo.

One would reach closer to the logic of blade the more one cut. Then  continuing to cut people is my only path in life──Kamiizumi Mondo once  declared that. Sanai knew nobody else who was as much as a tragic genius  than Mondo.

And then, it was exactly because Sanai knew of such tragic genuine  manslayer that he was unable to forgive the coarse manslayer before him.

『Enough screwing around. Ye art going to incur divine punishment for that ye know?』

.

「Oi oi, this is a joke right?」

Even though he was far away, Bartholomeo’s eyes opened wide while feeling cold sweat trickling on his back.

Was the one who released the killing intent just now really this small boy?

Even Bartholomeo who had experienced countless exchange of lives  until now had never felt a killing intent to this degree even once.

Although that was also because Bartholomeo had only faced weakling or  an opponent who couldn’t display their true strength due to crafty plan  until now.

.

The assassin who was facing Baldr directly was also unable to measure  Sanai’s strength although he had felt the killing intent just now.

「That face……you’re from Mauricia huh. This is an internal problem of  Sanjuan. You will get burned if you poke your nose unnecessarily you  know?」

Depending on the situation you might cause international problem you know? The man threatened, but it didn’t move Sanai at the slightest.

For a warrior, the option to sheath the sword and asked for  reconciliation despite being the first one to raise the sword didn’t  exist.

No matter what kind of problem would result from this later, it was a  problem that should be resolved when that time came. It couldn’t be a  factor to refuse this battle right now when two sides had pointed their  sword to each other.

『Ye wisheth to escape after this late? Imbecile.』

Sanai spat out his words in displeasure.

This man had targeted a prince of a countryFranco, injured his friendTeresa, and ordered his subordinates to attack himBaldr. And yet why he didn’t wish to fight now?

On the other hand while the man couldn’t comprehend the language that  Sanai was talking with, he sensed how Sanai wished to stake his life  and challenged him in a battle without any hesitation. That fact was  more terrifying than anything to him.

(Most likely this man will keep fighting without even a single twitch  even if he is surrounded by enemies and fell into an absolutely  disadvantageous situation.)

It was like battle was Sanai’s life itself. The man was correct to fear him.

(Should I run──? No, that option doesn’t exist at this point.)

To fail his mission would mean his death.

Bartholomeo always prepared an insurance without any miss. There was  no way he would be forgiven if he went back shamelessly after failing  his mission.

Besides if Franco faction went to win like this, his organization wouldn’t be able to avoid destruction at the end.

He wanted to rob Franco’s life somehow and retreated, but it would be necessary to remove Sanai by brute force for that.

If he turned his back on Sanai and rushed at Franco right now, he  would surely get cut down with a single attack. Then he had to defeat  Sanai at any cost.

He was reluctant to risk his life into a battle this risky, but the man had the confidence that he would win if he fought.

「Die you brat!」

The man swiftly threw four knives.

And then he ran right behind them toward Baldr with short swords in both hands.

Simultaneous saturation attack with four knives and twin swords──all  the people he fought until now were unable to deal with this attack no  matter how much of an expert they were.

The best they could do was only to escape in an unsightly way  but……there were additional throwing needles strapped on the man’s feet  for pursuing unbalanced enemy.

Of course all of them were smeared with poison. The opponent wouldn’t be able to avoid death even if they were only grazed.

Making the first move with surprise attack using hidden weapon and  overwhelming the enemy with numerous moves, that was this man’s combat  style.

Knights trained for one on one battle and group battle, but they  rarely trained for battle facing assassin. After all there was very  limited number of situation where it was assumed that they would face  assassin.

That was why the man held an immense confidence in regard to individual battle but…….

「WHATT–!!」

Sanai easily hit back the knife toward the man as though to say it was just a boring magic trick.

The poisoned knife that should be attacking the enemy was attacking  him back. The man was forced to knock it down in an unsightly panic.

Cold sweat poured out from his whole body with a labored breath. The  man turned his gaze toward Sanai as though he was looking at a monster.

To be able to hit back the knife so accurately like this meant that  Sanai had grasped the knives’ trajectory with a lot of composure still  left over.

In that case, the man who didn’t possess a method of attack that was  faster than the throwing knife already couldn’t find a method to win  here.

「Impossible! That’s just impossible!」

This defeat came too abruptly.

The man’s sure win method that was specialized in cornering the  opponent by following the script was trampled by an absurdity that  surpassed it. At that point he was already not allowed to take any other  method.

(──It shouldn’t be like this. This me being turned into the weak one, that’s something that absolutely shouldn’t be permitted!)

The stability of the man’s mind crumbled when his confusion reached  the peak. He rushed toward Sanai without any hint of fighting skill as  though to rant and rave at the absurdity he faced.

It was the worst option to take as a fighting method when fighting someone stronger than himself.

The childish reaction made Sanai lost interest. He swung down his sword without any motivation and smashed the man’s collarbone.

But thinking back, he had never seen this kind of small scoundrel who also wasn’t someone unsightly.

.

「That man──even a top ranked puppet master is beneath his notice.」

Bartholomeo muttered to himself with a cloudy expression.

The assassin that Sanai defeated was an expert who was considered top  class even within his organization. His strength rivaled even  Bartholomeo himself.

If Bartholomeo faced him without any trick, then even he would have the table turned on him.

「A troublesome man has become an enemy. I have to think of an underhanded plan to kill the prince……」

Bartholomeo’s cold eyes looked spiteful like a snake. Even so he laughed fearlessly.

Even if the method to assassinate the prince that he picked later  wouldn’t need to harm Baldr, he would never forget to take revenge  against Baldr, or rather Sanai.

Rather he swore that he would take revenge without fail no matter how  much time it would take. This malicious persistence was none other than  the most terrifying thing about Bartholomeo. It was also his nature  that was beyond any help.

.

「Teresa–! Get a hold of yourself, Teresa!」

Franco clung on the neck of Teresa whose face was turning pale and cried without caring of how he looked to others.

Teresa herself was only fainting briefly from relieve with Baldr’s arrival. Her wound wasn’t as bad as it looked.

She responded to Franco’s call and immediately opened her eyes.

「Franco……are you unharmed?」

Teresa smiled faintly because Franco was holding her in his embrace.

A knight who protected something important to her at the risk of her  life. And then a lovely flower who accepted the knight’s feeling and had  to let himself be protected.

「Yes, thanks to you.」

Perhaps it was inevitable for the two of them being pulled to each  other while staring at each other’s eyes and exchanged a kiss.

The roles of the two in this scene felt like they were completely  reversed, but at the very least this scene still made a very good  picture.

「I love you, Franco.」

「Me too──I love you, Teresa.」

.

Sanai watched the two youths embraced and ascertained their feeling for each other while frowning in a kind of discomfort.

「I have felt that it is destiny at work when I first caught sight of  you. Franco, I believe that there is the heart of a beautiful goddess  within you……」

「I too had given up that perhaps my only choice is to keep living  like this while continuing to deceive my heart……but after meeting you  Teresa, I learned the joy of living exactly like my heart commanded!」

He wanted to dress like a girl, appreciated the flower, and smacked  his lips at relish with sweet cake. And then he would fall in love with a  gallant gentleman and yielded himself to a sweet and dangerous  temptation──who knew how many times Franco had imagined such wild idea  before.

However, in front of his duty as a royalty to have the next  generation inherited his bloodline, his wish was something that couldn’t  possibly come true no matter what.

Furthermore with Abrego’s death, it was demanded from him to succeed  the throne. He should have given up his dream at that time and accepted  that he would have to live while deceiving his heart until he died.

However, the first time Teresa was sending him a passionate gaze, he got the feeling that his true nature was seen through.

She treated him not as a prince, but like he was a lovely princess.  It made Franco’s chest to beat so fast it felt like his heart was going  to burst. If he let his guard even for an instant, it felt like he would  forget anything and everything and entrusted himself to Teresa’s  temptation.

On top of that she protected him that heroically and passionately. How could he not feel moved after that.

Franco became a believer of the providence of god at this moment.

If that wasn’t the case, then it would be impossible to explain this  miraculous fairy tale in real life, of the existence of a woman with a  man’s soul who would love him like a woman.

.

The two even forgot that they had an audience and greedily devoured  each other’s lips. It was difficult to describe this scene of the two of  them with their tongue entwined with each other.

Masaharu absentmindedly muttered a single sentence in the place of Sanai who didn’t have the vocabulary to describe this scene.

『It’s a trap and a reverse trap……』

.

Part 10

After that Teresa fainted again and she was brought to the palace.  Franco never left her side for even a moment throughout all that.

Franco was filled with a bloodcurling pressure, as though he was  claiming that he would never let go of this woman who understood him now  that he had finally met her. His vassals who originally should be  dissuading him was also unable to speak strongly toward him.

Fortunately, although Teresa had lost a lot of blood, she would recover quickly as long as the wound was closed.

To begin with Teresa had confidence with her stamina. Rather it was a  happy thing for her to be laid on bed like this because now she could  enjoy her tryst with Franco leisurely like this.

.

「Teresa. Here, say aa~~~n.」

「Aa~~~n……it’s delicious, Franco.」

After the doctor left the room and seeing the surveillance had been  relaxed, the two immediately acted like idiot couple. Baldr’s stomach  was cornered to a state of near destruction from the stomachache.

Certainly Teresa was his best friend. And even if he searched through  the whole continent, there was no way he would find any man more  suitable to be Teresa’s spouse other than Franco.

Congratulations, I hope you two can be happy. No matter how much he  congratulated them it still wouldn’t be enough to celebrate this  miraculous encounter between the two. However, he had his duty as an  ambassador who represented Mauricia Kingdom’s interest here.

Just from thinking of how many political obstructions that these two  had to overcome in order to be able to marry peacefully, it made Baldr  wanted to yield himself to the temptation of taking care of everything  with violence just like how his motherMaggot would do in his shoes.

But the two people in question only ignored the conflict Baldr was feeling and getting heated up by themselves.

「I want to see you in dress quickly, Franco.」

「I also want to dress up and show you myself in my best appearance, Teresa.」

When they reached this point, as expected even Baldr couldn’t put up with it anymore.

「You two idiot couples! Pay attention to your surrounding for a bit!」

「No, Baldr……you also can’t say anything about other people.」

(Brooks, thank you for the calm retort……tear is coming out.)

Good grief, what Teresa and Franco were doing wasn’t mistaken at all  for a couple to do but……he wondered why, it made him felt a great  headache watching them.

Was these two actually aware just how dangerous the present situation was?

Baldr thought that at least Teresa didn’t understand.

If this woman had such laudable sense, she wouldn’t come along to this country from the first place.

With their age and status, it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that  the fate of Teresa──and also Baldr and others was relying on Prince  Franco’s capability.

Baldr glanced at Franco who was fawningly rubbing his cheek on  Teresa. All strength left his body and his shoulders slumped down in  dejection.

.

「Franco-niisama, are you alright!?」

It was at that timing the third prince Pedro appeared with a face that was pale from worry.

The way he was looking so frantic with worry for Franco couldn’t possibly be an acting.

「Eh…………」

However Pedro froze in that panicked posture.

It seemed his brain came to a halt when he saw the surreal scene of his big brother acting spoiled toward a woman.

(This damn idiot couple, this is why I’m telling you two to be a bit more mindful……)

「……W-what are you doing? Nii-sama?」

「Fuwah?? P-Pedro! Turn your gaze away!」

「Y-yes!」

Franco yelled with blushing cheeks because he was seen being embraced by Teresa.

Pedro who saw that also noticed that he had seen something that shouldn’t be seen and turned his face away swiftly.

「Spare me……」

(Of all thing it’s his political enemy that witnessed the decisive moment, what to do now……)

Baldr was at his wits’ end but──.

「Nii-sama is also a man so……that, I mean, congratulations!」

Eee, you’re accepting it like that? Baldr desperately suppressed his impulse that wanted to retort like that.

Unbelievably Pedro easily accepted Teresa becoming Franco’s lover.

Perhaps he had learned a weird kind of resistance from knowing how lecherous his dead brother Abrego was.

.

「Even so, who in the world dare to attack Nii-sama in the capital? Unforgivable!」

Just when it seemed like Pedro had finally calmed down, he recalled why he came here and started to feel enraged.

Baldr who imagined that there was a family quarrel between the  brothers couldn’t help but feel bewildered and looked toward Franco.

Then Franco replied while smiling wryly.

「Well, you might be unable to believe it but, my relation with Pedro  as brothers isn’t bad. Perhaps it’s because his age is far too distant  from Abrego-nii, that’s why he has been closer with me since the past.」

Pedro’s natural earnestness came out clearly from his expression. It made Baldr felt like a dirty adult seeing that.

「There is nobody else except Nii-sama who can be the next king! Why can’t the others understand that.」

Pedro’s amiable looks that made him seemed like a small animal twisted.

Actually this was Pedro’s honest thought. He had a reserved  personality after living under Abrego’s shadow for a long time until  now. He also didn’t really believe in his own talent.

Pedro couldn’t match his biological brother Abrego whether in  knowledge or martial arts. Franco who was talented in everything and  cautious in personality was a target of adoration for him.

Conversely, Pedro’s good-natured personality was a bit too meek for him to be a king.

「You’re really a good boy, Pedro. However the world cannot be that simple.」

Franco and Pedro were treated as the representative of the two major  factions within the palace. The thought and hope of the two themselves  were only secondary for other people.

Pedro who was supported by the military was forced to be Franco’s rival regardless whether he wished for it or not.

「Nii-sama, I don’t want to become a king or anything……」

「What a coincidence. Me too.」

If it was Abrego, he might be able to regulate the confrontation between the civil official and military official smartly.

His womanizing habit was almost the worst, but that eldest brother was discerning in regard to the subtleties of people’s heart.

But the fetters of the civil official and military official were  sticking tightly on Franco and Pedro’s backs. The fetters were so heavy  that they couldn’t do as they pleased.

If one of them became the king, conflict between the two factions would be unavoidable.

For them, to still accept becoming the king even knowing that such  future would come to pass was like volunteering themselves to shoulder  great hardship.

「So the problem is that no one believe that both of you seriously don’t wish to become the king.」

The seat of the supreme position that anyone should be yearning for.

Someone who was born into the royal family and yet didn’t wish for  that awe-inspiring status. There was no way those people whose eyes were  blinded by authority would believe that such royalty existed.

The biggest example of such people was Franco’s mother Elena.

「Well, if I can be married with Teresa, then I won’t ask for anything else.」

「Franco……!」

「Teresa……!」

「Nii-sama……I pray that you two will be happy forever!」

「Someone please do something about this chaos!」

The couple flirted for nearly one hour without caring of other people’s opinion and disregarding Baldr’s anxiety…….