Ch.340340. You’re Just Going to Let This Slide?

“…What are you doing?”

“I was just tidying up the bedding for you?”

When I went to the bedroom, Princess Sairine was arranging the bedding while Princess Etherian was drinking alcohol at the table.

I thought they would be waiting for me anxiously, but isn’t this situation too relaxed?

I tilted my head and spoke.

“Why are you tidying up the bedding?”

“My sister said she wanted to drink first, so I had nothing else to do.”

“Ah… I see?”

I sat down in the chair, still looking puzzled.

Now it’s really time to lay everything out in the open.

As I straightened my back, Princess Sairine sat down in the chair beside me and spoke.

“Would you like a drink too, Sir Selden Alphonse?”

“…Sure.”

Princess Sairine pours me a drink and smiles broadly.

“I was really surprised earlier. An assassin in the Lake estate mansion…”

“…What?”

“Don’t you remember? An assassin broke in earlier. That’s when you saved me and my sister.”

As I blinked in confusion, Princess Etherian nodded.

“Good work. Dealing with the assassin.”

What on earth is going on here?

Surely, they must have heard Lucien call me ‘father,’ but they’re just going to ignore it?

Why on earth?

I took a swig from my glass and let out a short sigh.

“…You heard everything that girl said earlier, so what are you trying to do now?”

Princess Sairine tilted her head at my words.

“What do you mean?”

“She called me father.”

“I didn’t hear anything like that?”

“Hah… why is everyone acting like this?”

As I let out another long sigh, Princess Etherian put her glass down on the table and spoke.

“…We know nothing of this matter.”

“Is there really a need to pretend you don’t know?”

“Then is there really a need to pretend that we do know?”

I opened my mouth at Princess Etherian’s words, but this time Princess Sairine put down her glass and continued.

“I had a good talk with my sister.”

“What do you mean by ‘good’?”

“Even if Sir Selden Alphonse has a hidden child, our feelings won’t change.”

“That’s not it, to be honest—”

“I-I don’t want to hear it!”

Princess Sairine covered her ears with her palms and raised her voice.

Princess Etherian was doing the exact same thing.

Why on earth are they acting like this?

“If there’s a misunderstanding, we should clear it up.”

“There’s nothing to misunderstand in the first place. Even if Sir Selden Alphonse has a child, my sister and I will definitely marry you.”

“…Why?”

“Because I love Sir Selden Alphonse.”

I was dumbfounded by her straightforward confession.

“Ah, no… but still…”

“Today, an assassin broke into the Lake estate mansion, and Sir Selden Alphonse saved me and my sister!”

If I keep my mouth shut, I can hide the fact that Lucien is a dragon.

However, while the princesses might be fine with it now, they must feel uneasy deep down.

I found myself wondering what action I should take.

“So, you’re not going to tell His Majesty the Emperor about what happened today?”

“There’s no reason to.”

“But the Imperial Knights who came with you must have seen everything?”

“They didn’t see the girl, did they? From what I heard, they all thought Sir Selden Alphonse grabbed the intruder by the collar and took them away?”

“So you’re saying we should lie to His Majesty the Emperor?”

Princess Etherian, who had been silently drinking, opened her mouth at my words.

“Do you not wish to marry us?”

“No, I do want to.”

“Then why do you keep trying to be honest?”

“I’m not trying to be honest, I’m asking if we’re going to lie.”

“Ah… I misunderstood. Then let’s lie.”

Everyone except the princesses, Jawill Wilson, and Robert misunderstood Lucien to be an assassin.

It seemed best if I just kept my mouth shut.

Yet, a question kept nagging at my mind.

“Why do you want to marry me so badly?”

“I told you earlier. I love you, Sir Selden Alphonse.”

“…We agree with Sairine’s words.”

Both of them still want to marry me even though they think I have a hidden child—could there be a more fortunate man?

However, doubt breeds more doubt.

If they keep this in their hearts, it will eventually explode. By then, it would be impossible to clean up the mess.

“Whether or not we lie to His Majesty the Emperor, I’ll tell you honestly.”

“That will do.”

“It’s fine. Even if I don’t listen, my feelings for Sir Selden Alphonse won’t change.”

As I was adjusting my posture to speak honestly, there was a knock on the bedroom door.

Knock knock-!

“Come in.”

I raised my voice, thinking it would be Federicks or Jawill Wilson, but the one who opened the door and entered was none other than Lucien.

“Lu, Lucien!?”

Lucien, who had returned to the form of a young girl, looked at Princess Etherian and Princess Sairine.

Then, as if she had learned it somewhere, she gently pinched the edge of her skirt with her small fingers, lifted it slightly, and bowed.

“Hello. I’m Lucien.”

After a moment of surprise at her sudden appearance, Lucien immediately turned her gaze to me.

“Father.”

“A-are you alright?”

“I’m fine. I’d like to have a conversation with the princesses, so could you please leave us for a moment, Father?”

I wanted to say ‘I’ll stay with you,’ but seeing Lucien’s resolute expression, I couldn’t bring myself to speak.

Just then, Princess Etherian and Princess Sairine also spoke up.

“You should step outside.”

“Please step out for a moment, Sir Selden Alphonse. We’d like to have a conversation, just the three of us.”

I nodded with a short sigh.

“…Understood.”

*

“So you just left Lucien there and came out?”

“Yes.”

“What if the princesses say something to Lucien!”

I had moved to the study to give the three of them time to talk, but Jawill Wilson had somehow found his way to the study and was looking anxious.

“…Lucien is the strongest of the three.”

“Th-that’s true.”

“And Lucien is smart, so she’ll explain better than I could.”

“Well… Lucien’s explanation might be more convincing than yours, young master.”

“But honestly, is it wrong to tell the truth?”

Jawill Wilson straightened his back and shook his head.

“What wrong have you done, young master? Lucien isn’t a child you had with another woman, is she?”

“That’s right. She’s like a child born from my heart.”

“The princesses will understand. Besides… they were trying to pretend they didn’t know anything in the first place, right?”

I nodded, recalling the awkward moment from earlier.

“While I was stopping Lucien’s rampage, I don’t know what conversation they had, but it seems they agreed to just let it go.”

“…Seeing that they don’t mind even if Lucien were your real daughter, it seems the princesses truly love you, young master.”

“I found it a bit scary.”

“…Pardon?”

“The way they both insisted with gritted teeth that an assassin had broken in—for a moment, I wondered if I was the one who was mistaken.”

Jawill Wilson smiled gently.

“That too must be because the princesses want to marry you, young master. If this reaches the ears of Emperor Malius, it would be irreversible.”

“…Don’t you think Emperor Malius would understand if we explained the situation?”

“I suppose so. It might be better to be honest before any misunderstandings arise.”

By the way.

I wonder if Lucien is explaining things well to the princesses by now?

Although it’s not a difficult story, I was still worried.

“Once Lucien finishes talking, I should ask the princesses if we should bring this up with His Majesty the Emperor.”

“…Lucien seems really kind. She rushed over as soon as she woke up, knowing you would be in trouble.”

“She must think her dad is unreliable.”

“Lucien probably knew that it would be easier to clear up misunderstandings if she explained to the princesses herself.”

I flashed my eyes at Jawill Wilson.

“Oh! And tell Principal Rupert that Lucien is sick and will be resting for a while.”

“With the vacation coming up soon, I don’t think it will matter.”

“Really?”

“But I will convey your message to Principal Rupert.”

Knock knock-!

Just then, Federicks entered the study urgently.

It had been a long time since I’d seen such a flustered expression on his face.

“The princesses are calling for you now, young master!”

“Oh?”

“But, Lucien is with the princesses in the bedroom.”

“I know.”

“…Pardon? You know?”

“And that wasn’t an assassin earlier, it was Lucien.”

“…Are you saying Lucien tried to assassinate you, young master?”

Now it was really time to face Lucien and the princesses again.

I patted Federicks’ shoulder with my palm and turned my gaze to Jawill Wilson.

“Jawill Wilson, please explain the situation to Federicks for me.”