Tonight is the evening party hosted by the Royal Palace where a foreign guest of honor will be welcomed.
In order to show our welcome, the Royal Couple and my father the Prime Minister, along with every important statesman are partic.i.p.ating.
Due to an unexpected important guest from the neighboring country the venue was hurriedly changed from the planned one to the banquet hall.

And, the evening party began.
The whole time my little sister"s fiancé who"s this country"s Crown Prince - Freed is clinging to her.
Perhaps he wants to claim owners.h.i.+p over my little sister, or show off his infatuation, no, maybe him wanting to just stay at her side is the unexpectedly correct answer.
He"d already placed the easy to understand mark of owners.h.i.+p, the "King"s Flower", and yet it looks like it"s still not enough for him.
At that time, the Crown Prince of the neighboring country confidently stood in front of Freed and requested a dance with my little sister.
Freed nodded to the Crown Prince"s expected action, but as we go way back I understand.
He"s considerably irritated. He seems to quite dislike his fiancée being led away.

… Just how much do you like my little sister.

I sighed soundlessly.

The world infatuation is perfect for it, Freed cherishes my little sister who became his fiancée.
As the older brother I feel complicated about it, but she seems to like him, if she consents, I won"t meddle. I think it"s fine they flirt to their heart"s content.
That my little sister is unaware of it is the only problem, but even now they"re always clingy.
Once she becomes too self-aware it"ll fall on me as his close aide.
Thinking that, I truly want my little sister to be unaware a little more.

"Freed"

At the timing when my little sister went to the dance floor with Crown Prince Maximilian, I spoke to Freed.
The future monarch Freed confirmed with a fleeting glance and lightly took a breath.

"… Alex, huh. It feels quite complicated. I have to silently watch my own fiancée dance with another man"
"It"s work so it can"t be helped. The one who has it toughest is Lidi, so endure"

Saying so, I s.h.i.+fted my gaze to the dance floor.

I smiled wryly at how, although she"s keeping up her expression, her smile is unabashedly forced.
My little sister is easier to understand than she thinks.
Apparently, she didn"t take liking to Crown Prince Maximilian.

"Look, no matter how you view it, doesn"t she hate it. There"s no reason for you to feel jealous"
"That"s not the problem. I"m worried that she caught Prince Maximilian"s eye. He had considerable interest in Lidi at the noon audience… If he"s to say something, it"s only at this timing"
"You really worry too much. If it"s her, she"ll skillfully sidestep it"
"I hope she does"

Everybody focused their attention on the two people on the dance floor. n.o.body is looking here now.
Taking the opportunity I talked with him in whispers.

Soon the dance came to an end without an incident.
My little sister turned on her heel and tried coming here.
Freed next to me looked relieved and moved to greet my little sister.

"Lidi!"
"… Aaah. She got caught"

Crown Prince Maximilian grabbed my little sister"s arm as she tried to head here.
Immediately he called out to the orchestra and the next piece began in the twinkling of an eye.
n.o.body could react to his overly skillful execution.

Even Freed stiffened with eyes grandly open.
Still, I understand he"s burning with anger before my eyes… I do understand.

… No, it"s scary. Even though he"s smiling, I felt cold.
Where did his usual gentle smile go.

Honestly, when my little sister is involved, he shows wealth of emotions like a different person.
Freed is an usually tolerant, rarely agitated, ideal superior, but when it comes to his own fiancée he starts childishly making uproar.

It might be a good trend compared to the past when he hadn"t cared about anything, but at such times he"s unbearable. Being unrelated, I want to run away.

While I made myself smaller not wanting to get involved and deliberated on how to humor him, my little sister glanced here for an instant.

… No, not at me.

My little sister didn"t look at me, her older brother, but obviously directed her sight at her fiancé seeking help.

I just want to say few words.
… Oi, little sister.

You may be engaged, but you still haven"t married, why do you rely on him first.
Ain"t it correct to rely on me, your older brother.

Despite thinking that, it"s not like I could do anything had she asked.
The piece had already begun. We have to quietly wait for it to end.

As I peeked at Freed who had been asked for help, he had a gentle smile.
I felt something that I shouldn"t see from behind his smile, it was difficult to look at him.

Wow, he got extremely mad. Troublesome!

"… Ah. I think she had no choice just now"

I spoke to him to more of less provide follow-up for my little sister.
The reply he returned to that was frightfully dispa.s.sionate.

"It"s okay. I understand. That guy simply managed to do it… I"m really angry. Prince Maximilian… Ah, after all Sahaja as well, don"t you think it"d be better were they to perish at once?"

Cold sweat ran at his too disturbing words.

"Wait! Wait wait wait!! No matter how you look at it, that"s too ras.h.!.+"
"Haha, what are you saying, Alex… That was just a joke?"

I absolutely didn"t hear it as one!
Crush, is it my imagination I heard the voice of his heart. No, please be my imagination.
Or rather, Crown Prince Maximilian, please don"t do anything unnecessary.
A man with authority, money, and power whose first love is messed with is troublesome.

I only have headache about the future where he"s obsessed with my little sister.
I"m truly glad my little sister is not a woman who pleads for endless dresses or jewelry.

It"s about what"d happen if she pleaded him. Freed would buy her anything.
Not to mention, it"s terrifying that if she only asked a little, he"d be quite likely to conquer the world.
This man has the strength to succeed in that.

I"m happy from the bottom of my heart that he didn"t fall for a strange woman.
And, my little sister, I beg you, hold the reins of that man.
What you got involved in is too much for your older bro…!!

Feeling frightfully tired, I sighed once again. And again I s.h.i.+fted my attention to the dance floor.
Only these two are dancing. No wonder, the piece Crown Prince Maximilian chose is said to be a difficult one that hardly anyone can dance.

"… I"ve thought that before, but Lidi is considerably high spec. To dance such a piece"
"I guess. But everything is nothing but the result of her own efforts. Keep that in mind"

I told this much to the man staring at my little sister with real surprise.
My littler sister isn"t really a genius. The steady effort since her childhood bore fruit, that"s all.

"Of course I understand that but… this piece sure has many places where you stick close together, doesn"t it?"
"Are you bothered by that"

Naturally, the man in front of me can also dance this piece. As Freed remembered the steps and knit his eyebrows, spontaneously I pressed down on my forehead.
I returned my gaze to my little sister.
Crown Prince Maximilian seems to be saying something. As expected, I can"t hear it over here, but my little sister"s reply towards him seemed displeased.

"N? Oi, Freed. What did Crown Prince Maximilian say?"
"…"

Curious I asked Freed, but he only stared fixedly at those two.
His expression is getting more and more severe.

"… He"s saying considerably silly things"
"… Did you just read lip movements from this distance"

This man also possesses monstrous abilities.
I can also read lips pa.s.sably, but I think there"s nothing impossible for this guy.
Freed nodded irately.

"When I can see them. Unsurprisingly I can"t understand when he isn"t facing this way, but that man has been incessantly making advances on Lidi since some time ago"
"Is he sane…"

It"s like openly picking a fight with this man.
He should"ve understood his obsession with my little sister at the audience.
But…

Suddenly, Crown Prince Maximilian looked this way. And broadly curved his lips.
I almost felt dizzy from his provocative att.i.tude.

"Wow…"
"Hmph… After all he wants to be crushed by me"
"Please don"t take part in it? That Crown Prince absolutely knows what he"s doing?"
"I understand. He"s not serious yet. He"s just testing Lidi… It"ll be bad when he gets serious. I want to pull them apart before that happens"

Won"t it end soon, as Freed muttered that his face was serious, no matter how you look at it.
Certainly, going by the provocation, Crown Prince Maximilian isn"t serious about making advances on my little sister.
If I had to say, he looked like he enjoyed Freed"s response.
… At least for now.

While I felt nervous, the piece reached its end.
My little sister, who finished the difficult piece with no mistakes, said what seemed to be a refusal line to Crown Prince Maximilian.
Unfortunately, because her mouth wasn"t facing me, I have no idea what she said.

But, even from the distance I could clearly see Crown Prince Maximilian"s complexion change.
It"s totally different from before, it"s the expression of surprise and pure curiosity.

Seeing that, my little sister tried moving away from Crown Prince Maximillian. However, he wouldn"t allow my sister to do that.
When I thought it"d get dangerous, Freed wasn"t next to me anymore.

No, that"s too fast…