"You really are in a good mood recently…"
"Nn?"

While we were working in the office as usual, Alex said so as he tossed the doc.u.ments.
I looked up at the clock. It"s just the right time for a break. Deciding to take a break, I also put down the quill.

"Alex, what you are talking about so suddenly?"

Alex stretched out exaggeratedly and turned his gaze to me. Smile filled his eyes.

"No, you see, from the old days you weren"t a person whose expression changed much, right? And yet looking at you recently I can clearly see a happy aura leaking. I thought you became easy to understand"
"I wonder? I haven"t noticed it much"

When I tilted my head that I don"t get it, he laughed.

"What are you saying. Even guards say, "His Highness is in a good mood recently". It seems to be called the Princess Consort effect inside the castle"
"Lidi"s? Aah, well, they"re not wrong"

―――― Princess Consort effect.

They say something truly amusing. When I showed a smile, saying "That", Alex pointed at me.

"Look, that face. You"ve made a really gentle expression. Well, it earned you a good reputation among the soldiers, so I think it"s a good thing. Before it was said that the Crown Prince was hard to approach. You were totally wors.h.i.+pped"
"I"m not so impressive"

I denied, but the next words made my knit my brows.

"Recently you"ve become popular because you"re friendlier, you know? It appears you"ve accidentally earned the image of always chasing after Lidi"
"Chasing after… I can"t allow it to pa.s.s"
"Because, you"re always searching for Lidi"
"…"

Unable to deny, I averted my eyes.
Because, it can"t be helped. She"s always casually going somewhere.
Even if I think she"s in the room, she"s for the most part somewhere else.
Mostly in the kitchen, but occasionally we pa.s.s by each other when she comes to the office.
She could just wait there, and yet she aimlessly goes somewhere else yet again.
Since Cain is there she has the permission, but to be honest I"m perplexed when she just goes to the witch"s place like nothing.
Still, she always comes back to me in the end, so I can only tolerate it.
I have a feeling that since she told me "I love you", I"ve become even softer on her.
While cackling, Alex said.

"Ain"t it fine. Everybody views you favorably. And because it"s thanks to Lidi, they think that they have to protect His Highness"s cherished Princess Consort"
"Hee"

I knew people of the castle cherished her, but was that the reason.
I"m happy the soldiers honestly show their loyalty and trust in me.

"Even without that, if something actually happened to her, all the chefs from the kitchen would bare their fangs all at once. But, thinking that they deal in food, it"s just scary"
"… Certainly"

I strongly agreed with Alex"s words.
Lidi is the real leader of the Royal Palace kitchen.
Starting from the Head Chef, she"s revered as a master by every person in the kitchen. If something happened to her… the kitchen would move first.
When I think about all of them becoming enemies… it"s scary to even imagine.

"Well, as long as there"s you it"s something impossible. Aah, come to think of it, I got a report… Sahaja has begun actively moving recently"
"Yeah… I"ve heard"

It was a sudden topic change, but I responded calmly.
A while ago, Sion too pointed that out, so I was paying particular attention to the movements of that country. Last night contact came from a hidden spy. I heard the report together with Father.
Once the winter ends. That man will move seriously.
The spy reported that Sahaja began stirring internally and will probably move on a big scale in the near future.
They seem to be preparing for war… He said he couldn"t get closer to learn more, but it"s much better than no information.
I"ve been postponing it, but it may be good to soon ask Lidi about Prince Maximilian.
A little more than what I heard from Cain. If she knows anything, I want to hear it.
If I ask her now, she should obediently tell me.
Alex nodded with a firm face.

"It"s fine if you"ve heard. If there"s anything I"ll report"
"Got it. It"s just a possibility, but there may be war. We have to be mentally prepared to move soldiers at any time"

When I said that, Alex shrugged his shoulders.

"That country never learns… Really. Even though they experienced your full strength before. Got it. I will tell Glenn and Will. Then there"s preparing provisions that will keep for a long time, huh"
"I"ll entrust that to you. If it turns into war, probably the Segunda Chivalric Order will play the main role, so contact their commander… Nn?"
"Freed? What"s up?"

Alex spoke in a puzzled voice when my words cut off, but I stopped him with a movement of my hand.
Be that as it may, it"s not like anything bad happened.
I just unexpectedly received telepathic communication.
It"s unusual for the other party to be Father. That"s why I was bewildered for just a moment.
I rarely use telepathic communication with Father. Fundamentally, if we have some business, we obtain the permission beforehand and talk directly.
It"s Father"s policy to talk face-to-face as much as possible.
Telepathic communication from such Father.
The contents was to come to his private room now, but what in the world could be the reason. While finding it strange since we"d only talked last night, I stood up.

"Freed?"
"Sorry. Esteemed Father called. Can I leave the rest to you?"
"His Majesty did? Then it can"t be helped. I"ll be done in a bit longer. Once the talk is over, you can just go home"
"Got it"

I left the work to Alex and hurried towards Father"s private room.

"Esteemed Father, what did you want to talk about?"

Father"s private room. I sat on the sofa and first thing asked.
I was expressly summoned. It must be a very important talk.
Sitting on the sofa same as me, Father looked into my eyes and raised the corners of his mouth a little.

"… Princess"s King"s Flower has changed"
"Eh?"

It was so sudden I had no idea what to say for a moment.
Seeing me blink my eyes, as if to say it can"t be helped Father slowly told me again.

"Your only one. The King"s Flower you granted has changed… Isn"t it great. Freed"
"… Lidi"s, has?"

The voice I somehow made was trembling unseemly.
Although I could understand Father"s words, I was too surprised to respond properly.

―――― Lidi"s King"s Flower has changed.

I deeply reflected on the meaning.
The King"s Flower"s change only happens when the partner is a mate and she truly accepts her partner.
Of course I knew it"d happen someday.
I"ve never doubted that Lidi is my mate, and I noticed the King"s Flower was growing little by little since she said she loves me.
However, for it to truly change――――. Moreover, so fast.

"Esteemed Father… Is that true?"

I had to ask again no matter what. That"s how shocking and unbelievable what Father said to me is.
Father strongly nodded to rea.s.sure me.

"Yeah, a while ago. I and Lucas confirmed it. A large flower that couldn"t be mistaken was blooming"
"… Lidi…"

I covered my face with my hands.
Tears overflowed one after another. Feeling my cheek moisten, I realized I was crying for the first time.
I"m so happy, so happy… My whole body is in so much joy I don"t know what to do.
Just as she told me that she loves me, Lidi has accepted everything about me… Understanding the King"s Flower has changed as a proof, I felt unspeakable joy.

I didn"t expect a day like this would happen to me.
Even if I"d felt envious seeing Uncle"s King"s Flower, I thought it to be unrelated to me.

Various thing happened when I was young, and so I became badly disillusioned about being loved, and with women.
That feeling grew stronger with age.
The desire to love and be loved faded with time, and especially around one year ago the feeling of disillusion became strong. I was fed up.
I couldn"t form attachment to anything, and I couldn"t love people.
Such me somehow met Lidi, fell in love… and then received back the same feeling.
As a child I had innocently desired a chance meeting with my mate and being accepted.

"… I understand you are happy, but enough crying. Do you want to go back to Princess with such a face? Even love of hundred years would cool off"
"Yes…"

Father"s voice resonated calmly. I wryly smiled at his all too reasonable words.
I somehow calmed my feelings and raised my face.

"I showed an unseemly sight. And? Why did Esteemed Father talk to Lidi about the King"s Flower?"
"First stop crying. You never change"

Father"s voice was amazed.
But, I"m concerned about things I"m concerned about.
If Lidi"s King"s Flower has changed, I wanted to be the first one to know.
Father showed a suggestive, stubborn smile.

"She was anxious about the sudden incidence. So I explained it to Princess. I will be her father-in-law. I can do that much, right"
"… Esteemed Father"

When I glared at him, he laughed Hahaha in a loud voice.

"Isn"t it fine. At least that much… Because, your King"s Flower has changed"
"Ah…"

Listening to Father"s words, I realized that not only Grandfather"s, but also Father"s… Mother"s King"s Flower haven"t changed.
Seeing me awkwardly fall silent, Father spoke in panic.

"Aah, wait, that was a figure of speech. Don"t mind it. I"m truly proud that my son has found a mate and is loved back. Various thing happened, but with this you are alright, right?"
"Yes"

Sensing the meaning behind various things, I firmly looked into Father"s eyes and nodded.
Of course.
I have my mate, Lidi, on the path ahead.
I can declare that with this alone I can face any difficulty.
Be it taking responsibility for the country or devoting myself to the public service.
If she is on my side, everything feels rose-colored.
I can believe the future will be bright.
It"s all because I love Lidi. Because Lidi loves me.

The talk finished, and Father offhandedly told me.

"Right right. I told Princess to strive to make a child. There"s no problem if the official business is somewhat delayed. I said it before, but show me my grandson"s face quickly"
"… Esteemed Father. What are you telling Lidi…"

My tone was naturally that of blame, but with an Oh? Father tilted his head.

"It"s unexpected you got angry. I thought you"d instead be grateful that I said that. Princess too didn"t actually seem dissatisfied. It"s a good thing to be loved"
"…"

Told so, I couldn"t say back anything. Father further said to such me.

"Well then. I"m waiting for the good news"

I sighed once and excused myself.

… It"s become terribly late.

As a result of the talk with Father dragging on longer than I expected, I"m considerably later than usual.
I can"t use telepathic communication with Lidi. That"s why I can"t contact her, but thinking she"s eagerly waiting for me, I spontaneously increased my pace.
I"ll quickly finish the dinner and return to my room. Perhaps because I always have meals with Lidi recently, when I"m alone somehow food is flavorless and I don"t feel like eating.
Still, I somehow forcibly stuffed it in and with quick pace returned to the room.

"Lidi!"

I opened the door and entered the room. My eyes met Lidi"s as she stood up.
Spontaneously my gaze moved to the King"s Flower on her chest.
Spreading on the whole left side of her chest, the King"s Flower increased its presence and shone as if to a.s.sert itself.
Compared to the last time I saw it last night, the blue rose has obviously grown more than one size.
―――― My symbol.
The ineradicable symbol that she is mine only.
With it carved on her chest, she was smiling happily.

"… Aah"

My emotion overflowed so much I couldn"t turn them into words.
I just tightly hugged her.
Having accepted my existence, she was extremely lovely.

"I love you, Lidi"

The endlessly welling up feeling of love overflowed from the bottom of my heart.
A strange sensation, like heat, like warmth, filled my chest, and even roused a sweet aching.
It became too much to endure, so I took her to bed.
All of myself fervently wished for her.
All sorts of impulses come from the depths of my body, the desire of wanting her torments my whole body.
My head is so heated even the breaths that escape me are filled with heat.
That was all I thought.
Perhaps sensing that, she gently wrapped her arms around my neck.
I wanted to indulge in Lidi who responded to me - and let go of my reason.