35 - CHAPTER IV "Report on the Results of the Conference"

After the informal meeting between the King of Alkimaira (Helian) and the Latestwood envoy (Lillipha).

Rilifa, who had visited Alkimaira as an emissary, decided to return to RATESTWOOD immediately after the meeting via a teleportation gate.

The use of the teleportal was permitted through the courtesy of Hellian.

With the assortment of tea leaves in her hand, Lillipha moved to a place near the throne of RATESTWOOD with a happy face, and went to her office.

"Wenli told me you were back, but I didn't know you were really back. ......"

Waiting at the open door was my sister.

Leifa, who had been using makeup to cover up the dark circles under her eyes, greeted Lillifa with an expression of surprise.

Just a few minutes ago, Wenli had told me that Rilifa, who was supposed to be visiting Alkimaira, had suddenly burst out of the throne room. After running off somewhere, she returned to the throne room again without much time and disappeared.

When he first received the report, he said, "You must be tired. However, after receiving a detailed report from Wenli, who insisted that she was normal, I decided to accept the fact, even though I was half-convinced.

And now, seeing her sister appear in front of him with an unfamiliar bag in her hand, Leifa had no choice but to admit it.

"Is it the secret ...... magic of instantaneous transfer, which is said to have been used by the legendary great sage?"

"There it is!　Mr. Helian is awesome, sister!　There are many others--"

"In this room, you will address her as 'JoOusama. This room is the queen's office and you and I are not sisters but queen and princess. You must respect the line."

"-Excuse me, my queen."

Lillipha, whose expression had disappeared, switched the air she wore and bowed.

Good," Leifer murmurs, leaning his weight on the back of the chair. Leifer puts aside the document he had just been reading - the report on the from the party of adventurers - and asks Lillipha about it.

So, how did today's meeting go? I have to give priority to my work at the moment, so I will ask you about the details later. For now, just the main points and conclusions will do. Please report back to me."

"Yes. After thanking Her Majesty the Queen for the recent incident, I have revealed her personal information in order to deepen the exchange between our two countries. By personal information, I mean her body shape, the color of her favorite underwear, and so on.

What have you done?

Upon hearing the impossible report, Leifua stood up involuntarily.

Her cheeks were covered in a clear vermilion color.

"I am at the meeting. Through this meeting, I have also become the sister of His Majesty Helian.

"I don't understand!　Once again, from the bottom of my heart, I don't understand what you mean!　Master Helian's sister!　What in the world would cause such a thing to happen!"

"This is an initiative to strengthen the friendly relations between our country and our ally, Alkimayla. We will discuss the details later.

Say it now!

"But you said earlier that your priority was the office."

How can I go on with my work if I have to listen to this kind of talk?

While Leifer's eyes are raised, Lillipha bows her head and says, "I beg your pardon.

"I will now begin reporting on the details of the meeting we had today.

"...... You don't have to talk like that. Just report back to me quickly."

But I told you earlier to hold the line.

"Just talk to me!　What have you done in his country?　Tell us everything!

"I've only done what's best for the Ratestwoods."

With a snap, Lillipha tossed off the princess's mask and began reporting once again.

All of the reports were too shocking for Leifa.

In an informal setting, she was allowed to use the same tone of voice as she had in the village, and she accepted it. In the same way, she was allowed to use any name she wanted in informal settings, and she began to call Helian <>.

Later on, I cooperated with Helian's verification experiments as a form of exchange, and became acquainted with his various abilities. Through these experiments, I have learned about Leifa's body shape, the color of her underwear, and so on.

Some of the reports were useful, but most of them were outrageous.

Leifa, who listens to the reports, blushes and pallidly shows a hundred faces, but tries her best to restrain herself from interrupting until she has heard everything.

Then, as soon as she heard Lillipha say, "I guess that's about it for now," she slammed her hands on the desk and shouted with all her might, "I'm not going to say anything until I hear the whole story.

"Rilifaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!

"Shut up. ....... You don't have to shout so loud, sister."

Rilifa, with a scowl on her face, swears at me, covering her ears to protect her eardrums.

What are you doing to me?　If you just shut up and listen, you'll hear all kinds of outrageous things!

"Because Mr. Helian said it was a good idea."

"Of course it's a social call!　You wouldn't even know that, would you!"

"Hmmm ....... Actually, I thought it was a social call too, but it didn't seem like that. I thought it might be a good idea to call him <> and he kind of forgave me for some reason. ......

Rilifa tilts her head, as if to say, "Well, I guess it's a little late for that now.

To tell the truth, Rilifa did not expect that calling him < would be accepted. It was an attempt based on the assumption that it would be rejected and that she would only be risking her own life, but she was puzzled by the unexpectedly easy acceptance.

This is the result of Helian's desire for healing in his busy life and Lillipha's desire with <> in mind, and Helian's early resistance due to his exhausted state of mind and body.

The fact that a pseudo-sibling relationship was established somehow was unexpected by both parties.

However, Helian was usually kind to her, and Lillipha is honestly glad to have him as her brother. She felt that he would spoil her more than her older sister.

"How could I possibly know!　How disrespectful ...... to the Lady Helian!　And what about the fact that you told them about my body shape and the color of my underwear?　It wasn't necessary, by any stretch of the imagination!"

"Necessary. To promote your sister as Helian's marriage partner."

"......No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no!"

The words were so unexpected that Leifa was unable to finish her sentence.

"It's all right, it's all right, my sister has a pulse. When I told her the color of my underwear, she even blushed a little.

"Of course, it's natural to suddenly be asked the color of the opposite s*x's underwear!　I hope you didn't mean to say that you turned red because you were angry with me for being so rude to you!　How could I possibly have a pulse in the first place?　Are your eyes blind!"

"I'm not a sceptic. Don't be rude, sister.

Your words and actions toward Lady Helian are much more disrespectful!

After slamming her hands down on the desk as hard as she could, Leifua sat back down as if her strength had been drained out of her.

The things her sister had done were far beyond her imagination. The sheer devastation was too much to take in. She had to hurry to write a letter of apology first, and then visit Alkimaira to apologize again, she thought.

The fact is that he had to send his sister, whose title is only respectable, as an emissary since he had lost most of the important people who had been running the country. However, if they had known the outcome beforehand, they would never have sent Rilifa as an emissary.

"Besides, wouldn't you be happy to marry Mr. Helian, sister?"

When Rilifa asked her a sudden question, Leifa replied with a wrinkle between her eyebrows.

"...... what nonsense are you talking about, you. You are the king of Alkimaira, our ally, while we are only the royalty of a small country. There is no way that a marriage can be consummated.

But wouldn't you be happy if you could?

"--No more. Keep your mouth shut for a while, Rilifa."

Ignoring her sister's unintelligible questions, Leifa decided to get lost in her thoughts. She had to get permission from Alkimaira to prevent her sister's head from being chopped off for disrespect.

To her distressed sister, Leifa spoke to her in an easygoing tone.

"Don't worry so much, my sister. I didn't do it without thinking about it.

"-I told you to keep your mouth shut, Lilliputian. I'm in the middle of a desperate attempt to save your life.

"......Oh, your face is scary, sister?"

I tried to play with her, but the wrinkles between her eyebrows only grew.

"Don't stare at me like that. ....... First of all, I've been ruder to you, Helian. But since he didn't chop off my head, I don't mind this at all.

"Huh?　...... Wait a minute. What the hell are you ...... saying?

"I've been doing a lot of things to see how far I could go and still get in trouble, but for some reason I've been allowed to do most of them. I don't know, but I think Mr. Helian likes me.

I did get yelled at when I took my sister's underwear," Lillipha adds inwardly. However, it seems that she was not angry at her sister for her undisciplined behavior, but rather out of concern for her.

Even though it was unofficial, Rilifa understands the common sense that it is too much for her to behave in such a way as she is nominally an emissary of a country. However, since she was allowed to call him < for some reason, she decided to try to see how far she could go into his heart.

The result was that the blood drained from her sister's face, but it was surely a good thing that they were able to deepen their friendship, and she was able to make a strategic move in their future interactions, so Rilifa says.

I am personally satisfied with the fact that I was able to do something useful for Helian, to whom I owe so much.

By the way, I am not going to confess to the fact that I took her secret underwear.

I feel sorry for my sister.

However, it was a necessary act for sales promotion, and I am planning to do something similar in the future. Don't tell anyone.

"What a ...... horrible thing ...... to do."

Unable to even scream, Leifa was about to collapse from anemia.

"Oh, I was only very rude when I was alone with Mr. Helian, okay?　I've been a proper "princess" when Rieve and others are with me, don't worry. I've made sure that if there is any disrespect, it will be my own fault.

"That's not the point. What the hell do you think you're doing ...... with the life that Mr. Helian saved for you?

"Hmm. I don't want to die if I can help it, but if Mr. Helian is going to kill me, I'm okay with it."

This time, Leifang was completely crestfallen.

Hearing of her sister's secret resolve and intentions, she could no longer even speak, and just stood there, stunned. To her sister, Leifa said in an admonishing tone

"Hey, sister. Let's change our way of thinking.

Let's say that the appeal was successful and you and Mr. Helian got married, right?

Then you will be happy to marry Mr. Helian.

The people (everyone) will be happy because the marriage is between two royals and the Ratestwood will be safe.

If Mr. Helian becomes a real brother, Lilliput will be happy.

If she will be a good wife, then Helian will be happy.

See, everyone will be happy, right?"

With a question, Rilifa smiles a big smile.

"-Will we all be happy together, sister?"

A sweet whisper, akin to the temptation of a little devil.

Leifua, who heard her sister's words, fell back into her chair again, as if dizzy.

"Oh, you, you little girl, how could you ...... become such a child ...... when you used to be so honest and pretty?"

"Hmmm, I wonder if this is the result of Wenli's education?　I was told long ago to use my card, the princess card, effectively..."

"Wenli, come here now!　I have a serious consultation regarding the educational policy of Lilifa, which is critical to the survival of the nation!"