episode_0280

It was a good thing because it was confirmed that Princess Haehwa and Princess Mona had the same thoughts.

Then, there was a high probability that friendships with ethnic minorities would go as planned.

Just as Princess Mona harshly scolded the nobles under her command today, Princess Haehwa will also have to console the minorities under her command.

“It’s very late. “It’s chilly, so why don’t you come inside?”

Because it was late, I couldn’t keep holding on to Princess Haehwa.

“ah! is that so? Compared to our winters, the empire’s winters are not cold. “But you might be cold.”

As I sat on the lake bench, the wind was particularly cold.

Still, the reason I was worried about the cold was not because I wanted to take care of my own safety.

“… No, what I was worried about was Princess Haehwa.”

“Me? Ah ha! We are strong in winter. “I live in a place where it snows more than half of the time.”

If you look at the world map and look at where ethnic minorities live, it is in the north.

As a result, it snows more than half of the time, and even though it is summer, it is not a scorching sunny day.

So even if it were winter in the empire, it would be as cold as summer for Princess Haehwa.

“I didn’t even know that, so I was worried for no reason.”

“But isn’t that the concern you did for me? Thank you.”

“I hope you make it easier for me to speak. “I’m embarrassed to hear the princess speak in such an honorable way.”

“… is it so. “I guess that’s for your own good, right?”

“of course. princess.”

And Princess Haehwa finally revealed the reason she had called me here.

“The reason I called you is because I thought I needed to tell you something about what happened that day.”

“I understand your concerns. “I will never speak of what happened then.”

Even though he ended the conversation by saying he owed me something that day, he probably felt like he wanted to check again.

“thanks. “I don’t want to disappoint Princess Mona as she has treated us favorably.”

“Do not worry. I also have no intention of ruining our relationship by being quick to speak out. It’s also against my interests. “Don’t you know how much wealth I will gain through this?”

I have no intention of forcing an invisible belief.

It would be better to allay Princess Haehwa’s concerns by saying that it would be to her advantage if a minority group formed friendship with the empire.

And in fact, Princess Haehwa also smiled, as if she was relieved to hear what I said.

“thanks. “I trust you.”

“Yes, and the next time we meet, I will treat you as if we were meeting for the first time.”

“Yes, I will definitely repay the favor.”

Princess Haehwa clearly achieved her goal in her conversation with me and returned with relief.

‘Is it worthwhile to come this far?’

Since he had a positive relationship with Princess Haehwa, his primary goal was achieved.

Now all that was left was to somehow tie Princess Haehwa to the empire.

‘I can’t tell them to enroll right away and attend the academy because the minority front line is so fragile.’

I’m thinking about just passing this semester, and next year, when I turn 19, I’ll enroll in my final year and study abroad for about a year.

Since I will be in the same grade as Princess Mona, I think it will be a perfect time for them to build a friendship.

‘For Princess Haehwa to study abroad, the front line blocked by ethnic minorities must be stabilized.’

Although I wanted to send my children to minority groups, I felt that it would be dangerous to carelessly transfer power elsewhere when the front line of the empire was also in danger.

“I have to go back.”

The banquet ended sooner than expected, but as I talked with Princess Haehwa and gathered my thoughts, time flew by and the moon was shining brightly above my head.

I moved my legs diligently to leave the imperial palace.

“Excuse me for a moment.”

“… ?”

While waiting in line to leave the imperial palace.

Someone is blocking my way.

This time it wasn’t the man with the odd eye.

Along with the ominous thought that I might have to work overtime today, I thought I knew why the man had asked me to be rude.

just as expected.

The man’s mouth opened and the expected words came out.

“The princess is calling.”

“… let’s go.”

It was just as expected.

I nodded and obediently followed the man.

※ ※ ※

I followed the man and arrived at the residence of Princess Mona.

When I went inside, I saw Princess Mona drinking the alcohol she had been drinking at the banquet alone.

“Oh, you’re finally here. Welcome. Come here.”

I know he drank quite a bit, but it was amazing to see him drink more without even blinking.

and.

“Princess, it’s hard to tell you this, but aren’t you a minor? “Why don’t you stop drinking alcohol?”

“alcohol? Ah~ Don’t drink any more? “Because I’m a minor?”

“Yes, I think that would be a good idea.”

“Haha! Well then, let’s see, I guess you can drink it for me! You can’t throw away something you don’t like, right? “It feels like I’ll drink it all if it’s in front of me.”

Princess Mona happily offered me her cup.

I gladly drank what she gave me, and then I was amazed.

“It wasn’t alcohol.”

It was a slightly sweet yet sour drink.

“You can’t not drink alcohol in an official setting, and you can’t break the law as the princess of the empire, so wouldn’t you have no choice but to come up with a trick like this? For your information, Princess Haehwa drank the same thing as me.”

“Fortunately, the.”

“Phew!”

Princess Mona kept laughing, probably because she found my actions funny.

I thought they were laughing at a guy who didn’t even know the topic and was doing something funny, but fortunately, that didn’t seem to be the case.

“Ah, this is my first time seeing someone who cares about something like this, so I started laughing without even realizing it. “I’m not laughing at your words, so please don’t misunderstand.”

“I did not misunderstand. “Even as I was saying this, I thought I was being too foolish.”

“I enjoy your refreshing response. So you don’t have to think it’s crazy.”

“I’m just grateful that you’re happy.”

Once Princess Mona had confirmed, she held out her hand as if to ask me to hand it over again, and I gently returned the glass to her hand.

“I’ll give you a drink.”

The princess gave a signal to the servant waiting outside, and the servant immediately brought the drink.

“I don’t think it’s the kind of alcohol you drink at banquets.”

“huh. Since my mom has very picky tastes, we have all kinds of alcohol. “There is one drink I particularly like, and this is it.”

“… “I don’t know if I can drink this incredibly precious alcohol.”

“I was going to ask the minority leader to drink when he came, but Princess Haehwa was not interested in alcohol. “It would be a waste to put it in the mouths of nobles, so I was wondering who to give it to, but I am giving it to you, the only one who did something I liked.”

“Is what you just said to me correct? “I didn’t hear it wrong, right?”

All I did at the banquet hall today was shut up and drink.

The sack of barley I borrowed would not have been as useless as mine.

However, Princess Mona praised me for what I had done.

If I had done something, I would have thought it was a pure compliment, but since I was receiving praise when I had done nothing, I thought they were making fun of me.

“Is there anyone else here besides you?”

“I didn’t do anything today. We just sat and drank and ate. But when you praise me for that, I feel like I’m being praised for just breathing well, so I’m embarrassed.”

“There is no need for that. This is a sincere compliment. “You did really well.”

Somehow, Princess Mona’s smile feels ominous.

While I was wondering why he had such a meaningful smile, a thought occurred to me and I asked him.

“… “Did you really overhear it?”

Princess Mona smiles at my words.

“!!!”

A bird listens to words during the day, and a mouse listens to words during the night.

In particular, the price of running my mouth carelessly in the imperial palace came to me sooner than I expected.

In the first place, there was no way Princess Mona could have missed what was happening in the imperial palace.

I let my guard down too much, and that carelessness made me suffocate, as if my weakness had been discovered.

※ ※ ※

“I know everything, so how about I just say it?”

There would be nothing more useless than pretending to say no in front of someone who overheard the whole story.

However, there was a promise I made to Princess Haehwa, and I couldn’t ignore it.

Didn’t you promise not to tell Princess Mona?

“Ha, it feels like I got hit in the back of the head. “How much do you know?”

“Today is not the first time you and Princess Haehwa have met. “I know you two are hiding something.”

At that rate, it would be safe to say that I overheard almost everything.

“But you still don’t know the details of what we are hiding.”

“I guess that’s why I couldn’t hold back my curiosity and called you here?”

“It’s difficult. “I promised not to tell…”

“You haven’t forgotten that the master you chose is me, right?”

It is true that I asked Princess Mona to collect it, so it is right to follow her orders.

But I felt like it was too much of a loss to lose trust by breaking an insignificant secret.

“I don’t think there is much benefit in knowing the secret that Princess Haehwa and I are hiding. Rather, the benefits you can gain from not knowing are greater.”

“Better not to know?”

“yes.”

For the sake of their future relationship, it was better for Princess Mona not to know for now.

“Isn’t it okay to just pretend I didn’t say anything?”

“Princess Haehwa said that. They say they are sensitive to the emotions of others. “Princess Haehwa will find out that I failed to keep my faith.”

Princess Mona heard what I said and was lost in thought.

“Hmm, then what should I do… . “I didn’t know you would come out like this.”

He seemed to think that if I interrogated him, I would get scared and say something.

“I’m curious, and you say hiding it is for my own good…”

“There is too much to lose by satisfying curiosity. As you probably know since you overheard, Princess Haehwa hopes to build a good relationship with Princess Mona. “That’s the secret.”

“…..”

Princess Mona said she thought about it before making a decision.

“Okay, let’s try to believe what you say.”

“You made the right decision.”

I smiled happily and raised my glass.

Princess Mona clinked her drink glass against mine.

Jang-!

“I think I can use you to help me become closer to Princess Haehwa. What do you think?”

“Please use as much as you want.”

Since I happened to have unique equipment that Princess Haehwa would like, I answered without hesitation to Princess Mona’s words.