Ch.289Side Story) Mop Rag Territory (3)

[“Passed already? So soon?”]

[“Yes, Your Highness. As soon as the Kingdom of Albion heard the news, they requested Emperor Lotharing to set a wedding date as soon as possible, and His Majesty accepted according to the letter Your Highness sent previously.”]

[“Even so, it’s only been a few days since the request… isn’t this too fast?”]

[“Isn’t Albion desperately trying to survive in their own way?”]

[“Yes… of course they would…”]

The meeting with the Albion princess was arranged incredibly quickly.

I had chosen the princess of Albion simply because a king’s daughter would have higher status than a duke’s daughter, and Albion was under stronger Lotharing influence compared to other kingdoms. It seems Albion had similar thoughts.

As a bastard, I’m one step removed from the Burgon family’s influence, and since I’m governing a territory in the Empire outside of Lotharing, I’m somewhat free from Lotharing’s influence.

Moreover, since I couldn’t inherit the Burgon surname, I’m not completely aligned with Lotharing, yet as the Emperor of Lotharing’s biological son, I can exert some guaranteed influence on Lotharing. From Albion’s perspective, I’m naturally an opportunity they can’t miss.

They probably want to use me to either ease the treaties with Albion or improve relations with Lotharing to prevent various future risks.

“Um… Hello, pleased to meet you. I am Eric of Bruns.”

“Pleased to meet you, I am Anne of Albion…”

But what is this all about?

Both of us seem to have already decided on marriage, so what’s the point of this matchmaking meeting?

Who arranges matchmaking for a marriage already decided by noble interests?

[“…What? Why is she coming so soon? The wedding preparations haven’t even started yet?”]

[“Well… His Majesty the Emperor of Lotharing decided that even if the marriage has been determined, it would be unthinkable to proceed without the couple meeting at least once…”]

[“…”]

…Well, there is exactly one person who would do that.

Ugh… His Majesty really… I understand being cautious about marriage, but since the marriage is already confirmed, what’s the point of this…

I do understand His Majesty’s thinking. If the duchess’s character is terribly flawed, I would be the only one to suffer.

Of course, given her excellent position, such disadvantages would be bearable enough to proceed with the marriage anyway.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Lady Anne. I apologize for the poor state of the palace grounds. Having only recently inherited this territory and being busy with governance matters, I haven’t been able to properly maintain appearances.”

Ugh… and to make matters worse, the matchmaking meeting was scheduled so quickly that the palace grounds remain in their unsightly state.

I had planned to fix the appearance by the wedding day at least… but with her arriving so quickly, there’s literally nothing to show. I’m genuinely embarrassed.

“Pardon…? Why are you apologizing? Why should I receive an apology…?”

“Well, there’s not much to see here, is there? You’ve come all this way, and instead of giving you a proper tour, I’ve only shown you unsightly scenes.”

“No, it’s fine. From my perspective, it’s quite different from Albion’s palace, so this is interesting enough.”

Anne said this and then smiled somewhat awkwardly.

It was a somewhat artificial smile meant to ease the tense atmosphere, but Eric didn’t notice any awkwardness.

“Ugh…”

“…?”

No matter how awkward the smile might have been, it was absolutely devastating to Eric, who had grown up confined in the harsh imperial palace and had little interaction with peers of the opposite sex.

Eric simply froze as if struck by lightning, holding his breath, and seeing this, Anne tilted her head slightly as if sensing something strange.

That gesture too was fatal to Eric, and Anne, seeing Eric’s increasingly serious reaction, was simply confused and didn’t know what to do.

……….

“Did you enjoy the meeting?”

“Who… Oh, Nanny. Of course.”

He was such an interesting person.

Unlike other nobles full of superficial charm, he’s incredibly innocent and pure-hearted.

Yet he has an extraordinary sense of responsibility and the ability to match it. Isn’t that quite unique?

[“Would you… like to take a walk?”]

[“A walk…?”]

[“Yes, although the garden is rather wild due to poor management… but a wild state has its own charm, doesn’t it?”]

And suggesting a walk, heehee… what was that? So cute.

Of course, in Lotharing, it’s said that the Emperor often took walks with his ladies, spreading such culture, but even so, he was so nervous that instead of a lovers’ walk, he was fidgeting like a child playing house— Huh?

Lovers?

“Princess?”

“Nanny, please be quiet for a moment.”

What was I just thinking?

A lovers’ walk?

Well, since we’re going to be married anyway, it wouldn’t be inappropriate for others to see us as lovers.

But for me to think that way?

Wasn’t this marriage simply to fulfill Father’s orders?

[“Anne, your marriage partner has been decided as Eric, the fourth son of the bastard emperor, but there’s a slight issue. It seems you should meet Eric in person at least once.”]

[“Pardon…? But why?”]

[“I don’t know either. Perhaps due to his birth, he believes there should be no loveless marriages. Anyway, you still need to capture Eric’s heart. Make sure you capture his heart and marry him.”]

[“Yes, Father.”]

My marriage will bring enormous benefits to Albion.

Although not all of Albion’s shackles will be removed, many will certainly disappear or be significantly eased, and the blood connection with the Lotharing imperial family will surely return as great help in the uncertain future.

That’s why I had to capture Eric’s heart by any means necessary, and I had prepared for numerous scenarios in advance. Various things like awkward seductive tones and gestures.

But why… instead of him, am I the one who—

[“Well… haha, it really hasn’t been maintained well. I’m sorry.”]

‘…Ugh.’

Although the time we spent together was very brief, recalling what happened during that short time makes my breath catch and my heart pound.

…Well, I suppose it’s possible. Perfectly possible.

After all, isn’t love said to be the most irrational emotion God bestowed upon humans?

“…Nanny, tell Albion that I’ll be staying here until the wedding.”

“Pardon?”

“Hurry.”

“Yes, understood, Princess.”

Anyway, I’ll stay here and keep an eye on the situation.

I need to keep watch in case some strange woman suddenly appears and snatches him away.

……….

Damn it… what is this all about?

Why isn’t Anne returning home and instead staying here…?

“Um… are you comfortable here? We don’t have proper furniture yet, wouldn’t it be better for you to return to Albion and stay comfortably there?”

“Oh, it’s fine. It’s comfortable enough.”

No, young lady, you’re making it difficult for me to work, so please go back.

You should return to Albion and come back when the palace renovations and wedding preparations are complete. How am I supposed to work with you here?

Above all, I can’t understand why an unmarried woman continues to stay in someone else’s home.

“…Lady Anne?”

“Oh, I’m sorry. I was just curious about what you’re doing…”

…And please stop staring like that.

When you gaze at me so intently with that expression, it’s… how should I put it? Yes, it’s too embarrassing. I wish you would at least go to your prepared room instead of staying in my office.

Crash—

“Ah?!”

“Oh, oh?!”

Just then, a pile of documents that I had hastily pushed aside on the desk due to being too busy came tumbling down.

It seems the precariously balanced stack of papers that had been barely maintaining stability despite our interference finally collapsed.

“I-I’m so sorry!!”

“No, it’s not your fault. It’s mine for not cleaning properly.”

“No, it’s because I was needlessly clinging… to…?”

“…?”

But Anne’s condition seems a bit strange.

Anne, who had been hurriedly organizing the papers scattered on the floor, suddenly stops in place as if turned to stone.

Did she find something important?

“What’s wrong?”

“This…”

“What is… Oh, so that’s where it was.”

I thought she might have found some important document… how disappointing.

It’s just the files my mother had compiled on potential daughter-in-law candidates. I was supposed to throw them away and had been looking for them, but they were right in front of me.

“…You don’t need these anymore, right?”

“Pardon?”

“Since the marriage between Your Highness and me is already decided, these are no longer necessary, correct?”

Why is this young lady suddenly acting like this?

Saying they’re not needed, well, that’s true, but… why bring that up now?

“Ah… yes, that’s right.”

“Then I’ll organize them for you. There seem to be too many miscellaneous documents that might hinder your work. I’ll help you clean up your desk while I’m at it, since it’s better to handle everything at once.”

“What? But that’s something you could ask the servants to do… There’s no need for someone of your noble status to do such tasks.”

“Hehe, it’s fine. Sometimes moving your body like this is good for your health.”

“I can’t let Lady Anne do this alone, so I’ll help too.”

Anne, who had been quietly observing until just a moment ago, suddenly started cleaning the messy office as if possessed by something, and Eric, unable to leave Anne alone, joined in the cleaning.

‘I have so much to handle, and now cleaning… No, a tidy office does improve efficiency.’

“Please check carefully and give me any useless documents.”

“Yes.”

Eric, completely focused on cleaning, doesn’t notice what Anne is thinking or what expression she’s wearing beside him.