Hm, hmm.
Somehow it"s gotten awkward.
I am really troubled now, having by chance learned of Glenn"s and Will"s unrequited love.
I"m free anyway, so should I just visit Will in the Magician Division headquarters, I had had such thoughts, but the atmosphere seems wrong for that.
It would be good to excuse myself and retreat, for the sake of both of us.
Thinking so, I decided to immediately execute that plan.

"Errr… I"ll be going. Ah, that"s right. Do you know where Freed is?"

I hadn"t yet thought about where to go next, but I took the chance to ask where Freed is.
Will blinked his eyes.

"His Highness? If you like, I can ask him directly via telepathic communication?"
"Is that okay?"
"Yeah. His Highness will be delighted to hear you"re looking for him"

Told that it"s no problem, I asked him to do that.
I think Freed should probably be in the office now. Let"s go there and take a quick look at his face.
That"s what I thought, but the place Will told me after finis.h.i.+ng the telepathic communication was unexpected.

"I got in touch with His Highness. He seems to be at the Royal Guard Chivalric Order practice ground right now"
"Royal Guard Chivalric Order? Again? He told me he"d joined the training just the other day"

Recalling the thing from the other day I tilted my head.
I remember the story about him being surrounded by the knights and practicing until late.
Yeah, Will nodded like he had an idea.

"The last time was sudden. Today seems to have been scheduled from the start. When I reported that you"re searching for him, I was told that you could come if you like…"
"Ah! I"ll go I"ll go!!"

Probably Freed remembers me saying that I want to watch him practice with knights.
When I hurriedly nodded, Will conveyed that to Freed.
Then he said puzzledly.

"Is it fun to watch the chivalric order practice? What I"m saying is… Isn"t that place filthy?"
"It"s fine. I just want to see Freed"

When I clearly announced that, Will"s eyes widened a little.

"Because, I usually can"t see Freed holding a sword. I"m sure he looks cool…"

I saw Freed fight during the date, but back then it was frantic, it wasn"t a situation to gaze admiringly at him.
It"s a precious opportunity to relax and observe Freed. I don"t want to miss it.
With a complicated expression on his face, Will said.

"I… see. Do you prefer swordsmans.h.i.+p rather than magical arts?"
"Not really? I think both are cool. Freed using magical arts is lovely too"

I"ve been shown it a few times, but I think his ability to deploy magic formations in an instant is wonderful.
I like both magical arts and swordsmans.h.i.+p. When I said that, Will said while casting his eyes down a little.

"… I see. You really like His Highness"
"Yup"

I nodded to Will"s words without hesitation. If it was the me from before, I would have absolutely hesitated and spoke vaguely.
I"m truly happy that I can clearly recognize my feelings.
As I smiled Will made an astonished face, but he immediately pulled himself together and nodded.

"… I"m glad you"re happy. I"m looking forward to the wedding"
"Thanks. I feel I"m late in saying this. But, I too am looking forward to it"

The wedding dress I tried on before is now in its final st.i.tching. In a bit more I will wear the pure white dress during the actual performance. Next to me will stand Freed, who will become my husband.
The various preparations and ceremonies of royal weddings are a serious matter, but it"s a once-in-lifetime important event.
I want to enjoy it as much as possible.

There"s just one problem I"m quite concerned about. One week vacations given to Freed after the wedding ceremony.
I heard that only recently, but there seems to be a custom to spend a week after a royal wedding in a Royal Family-owned villa on the outskirts of the city.
I was told it"s for the sake of leisurely deepening the relations.h.i.+p with the princess consort without anybody disturbing, but the truth is absolutely different.
It"s to do as one pleases for a week without anybody disturbing. I have no doubt about that.
… A week surely will be no problem for Freed. It"s deplorable I can state that definitely.
Thinking of my very much beloved yet excessively matchless lover, I breathed a small sigh.
… Hmm. Will my body last.
Even if I have the King"s Flower, my partner is Freed. I became worried for some reason and decided to take the stamina recovery medicine with me.
Leaving that aside, I"m very happy that no one will disturb us two for a week.
It"s a precious occasion, so I want us to intimately flirt.
While I was thinking about the finally wedding that"s finally drawing near, I was called out to from another direction.

"Oh, if it isn"t Princess Consort"
"Ah, Sion"

Sion was relaxedly walking from the direction of the garden.
His figure in n.o.ble clothes with the underlying black theme looked very appropriate. He"s all alone, apparently not having taken Rena with him. Upon noticing me, Sion broadly smiled and came my way.
Freed had given Sion the permission to look anywhere except the royalty quarter.
It"s not strange for him to show up here.
Sion s.h.i.+fted his attention towards Will standing next to me, and next dropped his gaze to his robe.
He nodded once, and then politely bent at the waist.

"Excuse me. It is the first time we meet. I am staying at the Royal Castle courtesy of His Highness Friedrich, my name is Sion Nanaohgi. I see you are Commander Pellegrini of the Magician Division"
"I"m William von Pellegrini. To not be confused with my little brother, William is fine… I heard from His Highness. You are a former Tarim tactician"
"Yes"

Will"s voice was harsh like I"d never heard before. The sound of his voice alone shows Will doesn"t have a liking for Sion.
I wonder if it"s because he had originally been the tactician of an enemy country.
While I was just staring at them with no way to interject, while frowning Will said to Sion.

"Since Your Highness recognizes you, I won"t say anything. But… If you intend to stay in Wilhelm, make your position clear"
"I am much obliged for the warning"
"There are people who are suspicious of you because you aren"t his subordinate. Don"t take it easy and quickly take the oath of a va.s.sal"
"… Nn?"

Huh, I thought.
I thought Will dislikes Sion, but apparently that"s not the case.
Otherwise, he wouldn"t tell him to become Freed"s subordinate.
Perhaps Sion too was surprised as his face said Oh?, but his mouth immediately slackened.

"I see. You are displeased with my indecisive att.i.tude… Is how it is"
"His Highness is splendid. I find it utterly unbelievable that you asked His Highness to let you defer the response"
"…"

Ooh… Will likes Freed too much.
It seems he doesn"t like Sion because he took offense in him not promptly accepting the invitation to be Freed"s subordinate.
While I triumphally reached an understanding, Sion who had understood that before me said "You"re right" with a smile.

"I do not intend on making him wait so long. I intend to reach the conclusion before he marries"
"… Then that"s fine"

Sometime next month - albeit reluctantly, Will nodded to Sion who told him that.

"―― And? What is Princess Consort doing?"

Facing here, Sion asked me.
I wryly smiled since I was asked the same question by Will not long ago.

"Nothing particular. But I am thinking of heading for the chivalric order now"
"Chivalric order? Again, why"

I told my objective to Sion, who curiously tilted his head.

"I"m thinking of going where Freed seems to be. What is Sion doing?"
"What I am doing? You could call it an after meal stroll. There is also the request from His Highness, so I am walking around the Royal Castle while doing it"
"A request from Freed?"
"Yeah"

While still not the official subordinate, Sion said he listens to Freed"s requests.
I had already heard it directly from Sion that he intends to become Freed"s subordinate so I thought nothing of it, but Will, who was silently listening next to me, slightly relaxed his expression when he heard that.
Hmm. Will truly likes Freed.
I"m relieved that it feels like they won"t fight. I"m glad.
While relieved, I continued talking with Sion.
I"d heard he"s walking around the Royal Castle, so for some reason I said.

"The Royal Castle is vast, so be careful. You will get lost if you let your mind wander"
"Aren"t you talking about yourself rather than me?"
"Eh…"

I stiffened for an instant, but when the words continued I hurriedly nodded.

"You have such impression. That"s what I meant… I couldn"t possibly know whether you"re a person with no sense of direction, right"
"Eh, yeah. That"s right"