Ch.324324. ····Are You Confessing?

“…Why aren’t you saying anything?”

I ended up having a conversation with the Etherian Princess first in the reception room, as if the two princesses had already reached some agreement.

But she’s not saying a word, just sipping her tea.

It’s frustrating enough to drive me crazy.

I sighed briefly and opened my mouth again.

“Your Highness, if you could say something—”

“Marriage…”

“…Pardon?”

“Between myself and Sairine, whom would you prefer to marry?”

Has the inevitable finally arrived?

To be honest, I didn’t particularly prefer one over the other.

In terms of beauty and figure,

Neither had the advantage over the other.

“…Isn’t that something for the princesses to decide?”

“Sairine and I cannot narrow our differences.”

“Is that so…?”

The Etherian Princess glanced at me.

“But you’ve certainly been spreading your charm around.”

“…Pardon?”

“I understand you met Sairine first, but haven’t seen much of her since then, correct?”

That was true.

Since Princess Sairine maintained a continuous relationship with the protagonist Serion Lykus in the original story, I deliberately avoided creating points of contact with her.

And besides.

The same went for the Etherian Princess.

Our first meeting wasn’t particularly pleasant, and there was no reason to become close, so I preferred to avoid her if possible.

Well, somehow we kept running into each other and ended up seeing each other frequently.

I let out a long sigh toward the Etherian Princess.

“What do you mean by ‘spreading my charm’?”

“Otherwise, Sairine wouldn’t have thought about wanting to marry you.”

“Then does the Etherian Princess also want to marry me?”

At my direct question, the Etherian Princess’s face turned bright red.

“…I do.”

“Why?”

“Because I also want to live in the dream house you desire.”

The Etherian Princess’s heavy straight pitch.

It was an unexpected answer, and I couldn’t hide my bewildered expression.

“I-Is that so?”

“However, Sairine shares my thoughts. That’s why we inevitably came to Lake Territory.”

“…You want me to choose?”

“Yes. We can’t wage war over marriage, can we?”

It seems like a joke, but it’s a horrifying thought.

I straightened my back while sitting on the sofa.

“Who am I to choose between princesses?”

“It’s fine. We’ve given permission.”

“I’m not fine with it. I think it would be better if the two of you reached an agreement. Or perhaps let Emperor Malius make the choice.”

The Etherian Princess put her teacup down on the table and slightly shook her head, her face still red.

“How disappointing. I thought if we left the choice to you, I would have the advantage.”

“…Why?”

“Because I believe I have a closer relationship with you than Sairine does.”

“That’s correct.”

“…Huh?”

“I also think I have more of a friendship with the Etherian Princess than with Princess Sairine.”

At that, the Etherian Princess fanned herself with her palm and once again avoided my gaze.

“Then I’d like you to make the choice.”

“Still, I don’t think it’s appropriate for me to choose. I’m just a nobleman, while you two are princesses of the Eastern Continent’s imperial family.”

“If you marry either of us, we’ll leave the imperial family anyway, so does being a princess really matter?”

As expected, it seems she came to definitively settle the marriage issue, just as I suspected.

I pressed my throbbing temples gently.

“Hah… Didn’t Your Highness originally want to become queen?”

“I did.”

“Then what’s the reason for your sudden change of heart?”

“Because of you.”

“…Are you confessing to me?”

“If I call it a confession, will you choose me?”

My head is really heating up.

If only I hadn’t attended that drinking party, this situation wouldn’t have happened…

The saying that alcohol is the enemy isn’t just empty words.

“I’d rather not choose if possible. And I should talk with Princess Sairine first.”

“How bland.”

“…Pardon?”

“The tea, I mean.”

“Ah… haha, should I order more to be brewed?”

“No need. You act like a man every day, but when it comes to marriage, you’re quite dull.”

“…So you meant I was bland?”

“No, I meant the tea was bland.”

I sighed with a flushed face.

“But aren’t you worried about rumors spreading if both princesses come to Lake Territory like this?”

“Emperor Malius has already given his permission. And we’ve brought a plan to prepare for rumors spreading, so there’s no need to worry.”

“A plan?”

“Since you’ve established an academy in Lake Territory, we have the excuse of conducting a simple inspection.”

I tilted my head while looking at the Etherian Princess.

“Has Your Highness ever inspected any of the Eastern Continent’s academies before?”

“No.”

Is that the best excuse they could come up with—academy inspection?

Well, other people from the Eastern Continent would probably believe it.

It seems more realistic than saying they both came for marriage.

“…I understand for now.”

Thinking the conversation was over, the Etherian Princess rose.

Then she gave me a gentle smile.

“It would be better if you choose me.”

I felt something chilling.

I wondered if she was implying she would be persistent if I didn’t choose.

*Swoosh*

I also stood up to see the Etherian Princess off.

“…Why is that?”

The Etherian Princess cleared her throat with a reddened face.

“Because my figure is a bit better than Sairine’s.”

*

“Princess Sairine is currently touring the academy. And the Etherian Princess also left to see the academy right after talking with you, young master.”

I was planning to meet Princess Sairine right away, but it seems I’ll have to wait until tomorrow.

Shaking my head, I looked at Federicks.

“Is the mansion’s security tight?”

“Yes. We’ve maintained strict security since the assassin infiltrated the mansion.”

“Make it clear to the knights, mercenaries, and guardian unit members. They might send assassins to Lake Territory mansion again if they learn their assassination attempt failed.”

Federicks nodded as if he already knew.

“Everyone already anticipates that assassins might infiltrate the mansion again. And they’re all curious about who’s behind it.”

“You know that no one should know Prince Leonis is behind it until the Eastern Continent’s imperial family takes action, right?”

“Yes, I’m making sure everyone keeps quiet about it.”

It would be good if they could take the intruders back when the princesses return to the imperial palace… but for that, Seri Familia needs to extract information quickly.

Speed was crucial.

By the way.

Principal Rupert must be shocked.

First Emperor Malius visited, and now both the Etherian Princess and Princess Sairine have appeared simultaneously.

He must be busy with various tasks, and I feel somewhat sorry.

I should probably give him a generous bonus this month.

Wiping the sweat from my forehead with the back of my hand, I spoke.

“Come to think of it, Emperor Malius must be troubled as well.”

“I’m sure Emperor Malius didn’t expect things to turn out this way either.”

“Hah… being popular is hard too.”

Federicks looked at me with disdain and continued.

“Young master, do you really not care which princess you marry?”

“I’ll need to talk with Princess Sairine, but right now I’m leaning toward the Etherian Princess.”

“…Pardon? Didn’t you say before that you didn’t care either way? Has your heart changed already?”

“Yeah, the Etherian Princess gave me some good information.”

“What kind of information did she give you?”

With a reddened face, I waved my hand dismissively as if it were nothing.

“Never mind that. How are the academy’s after-school activities going?”

“They’re proceeding actively, and as you instructed, we’ve placed Madeline and Wilfred in the same group.”

“Good. Keep monitoring in case I forget, and report immediately if any problems arise.”

“Understood.”

I rose from my chair.

After the assassin infiltrated Lake mansion, I’ve been extremely on edge while awake, and I feel tired despite getting enough sleep.

“I’ll go to bed a bit earlier today.”

“Rest well.”

“Thanks. You should also turn in early and rest if possible.”

“Yes.”

I left the study and headed to my bedroom while yawning.

Perhaps because I was definitely tired, my consciousness began to blur as soon as I flopped onto the bed.

That’s when a knock broke the silence.

*Knock knock*

“Hah…”

I threw off the blanket, got up from the bed, and opened the bedroom door.

And there was…

“It’s me.”

“P-Princess Sairine?”

“Since you met my sister today, I felt it would be unfair if I didn’t meet with you, Selden Alphonse.”

“Ah…”

More surprising than her visit was Princess Sairine’s attire.

She, who had always maintained her dignity, was wearing a thin, sexy silk dress that revealed her figure.

Moreover, the chest area was daringly low-cut.

‘She seems determined to go all out today.’

As I was about to sigh briefly, Princess Sairine revealed a bottle of whiskey she had been hiding behind her back and made a playful expression.

“If we’re going to talk anyway, a drink or two would be fine, right?”