CH 384

In truth, I was planning to head to the Caan Knight’s Nation as soon as possible, but due to an unexpected promotion, my stay in the royal capital of Berne was extended by a week. I have a place to stop before returning from the royal castle.

“Hugo… Sorry for the suddenness, but in truth, there is something I would like you to prepare as soon as possible,” I said.

“If it isn’t you, Lord Flora? What is it for?” Hugo said.

I speak with him at the Caanza Trading Firm office in the royal capital. It may not be something to say to Hugo, who is the store manager or the branch manager, or rather, who is the regional manager for all of Caanza’s operations in the royal capital, but for the time being, if I tell Hugo, he will probably do it in a hurry.

“Today, I come as Floto von Caan…” I said.

“Aah, my apologies,” Hugo said. “So how does the day find you, Lord Caan?”

Since it’s an office, it’s not like there are regular customers, but for the time being, I’ll properly use titles for Hugo as well. Up until now, practically either was fine. I was just using Flora or Floto to clarify my position.

But now Floto has to pretend to be a nobleman who is to marry Eleonore. I don’t know when, where, or how someone will leak it, so I have to be even more careful about my identity and gender than before.

“The day finds me being promoted again,” I said.

“Oooh! My congratulations on that,” Hugo said.

I clench my fist to control myself in the face of Hugo’s words. It’s not the time to get congratulations. Hugo should be in a panic if he hears my next words.

“And the ceremony is one week later,” I said. “Please prepare a formal dress fitting for a count which fits my body within that week. Also, something that can hide my body’s figure.”

This condition is quite strict. Thinking about it normally, it’s absurdly idealistic to prepare formal attire for a noble in a week. It usually takes at least a few months to prepare. I think it will take more than a month even if I prepare it in a rush. I don’t know because I didn’t actually make them, but… It’s absurd to ask them to prepare it in just one week.

I’ve been using a lot of things that can hide my body for a long time, and it doesn’t have to be the right size, so it’ll work out somehow. If you wear something short like a cape, there is a high possibility that your chest will be visible even if it hides your upper body. I can’t hide my hips and buttocks. With my current body type, people would see me as a woman just at a glance.

It wouldn’t be strange to wear it at a ceremony, but it would hide my body lines… This is a rather difficult order. But Hugo should know what I want. I’ll confirm verbally later, but I’m not so worried about things that hide the body, such as overcoats. The problem is the formal wear.

In the worst case, I’ll have to remake the viscount’s formal attire into the count’s attire… In that case, it might be possible to just change the decorations. It would be shabby to remake the previous formal dress, but if it’s not in time, it can’t be helped. Anyway, I have to use every method to make it in time…

“Understood. Now let’s take your measurements,” Hugo said, quite calm despite it all.

Normally, if I told them to prepare formal attire for nobles in a week, I think they would be in a big panic…

“Is it going to be okay?” I said. “I ordered it myself, but what about preparing a formal attire for a noble in a week…?”

“Since we had the sense you’ll be promoted soon, we are already preparing the formal attires up until a duke’s,” Hugo said. “Once we have the measurements, we’ll have it ready in a week if we work all-night shifts.”

He said it all so bluntly. I feel like what he’s saying is absurd, but it’s refreshing to say it so directly. If the decorations and cloth were already prepared, it would certainly be overwhelmingly faster than having to prepare from the raw materials. Putting aside the question of whether or not I will become a duke…

“Eh….then, I’m counting on you.”

In this way, I was measured by the staff of Caanza firm’s royal capital first branch, and I ordered the formal attire of a count before the ceremony.

Since my stay in Berne has been extended by a week, I can’t just sit around. Of course, I’m doing the documents sent from various places, but I have to make effective use of my time besides that…

Of course, there’s going to school and taking classes… but there’s no way I would do that. Going to school is a waste of time, so I will use my time more effectively.

The first is the construction site in Charlottenburg. To be honest, I wasn’t planning to work there anymore, but since I’m staying in Berne, I’ll help with the construction work as much as I can. If the work is finished quickly and the craftsmen who have free hands go to the next site, it will help us as well.

Especially since I have a lot of work to do right now… the Knight’s Nation and the Kingdom of the Blish Isles are also in a construction rush, so their veteran craftsmen are always welcome to combat the shortage. While gradually teaching techniques to reliable local workers, we are increasing the number of craftsmen with new techniques, but it is not easy at all.

“Thank you for your hard work, Miss Flora.”

“Ah, Katharina. Thank you.”

When I returned from helping at the construction site, I was greeted by Katharina. I have to work at night while receiving reports as I walked from place to place. There is also the daily special training… Of course, the fact that my mother is accompanying me means that my mother is my opponent for both sessions.

It’s been especially tough lately because I’ve been letting it go for a month or two before this. I would like to ask her not to interfere with my work, but I can’t say that. A sulking woman is the most difficult opponent. In this case, it is still easier to bargain with negotiations.

“A letter has arrived.”

“A letter?”

When I got to the office and sat down on a chair, Katharina stood in front of the desk and handed me a letter. For a moment I thought it was from Father, but I knew from the feel of the letter that it was not from him.

“…I see. Understood.”

I replied immediately. The sender of the letter is Margarete. It’s a sudden request, but the content was whether it’s okay to bring Eleonore to visit the day after tomorrow. There is no reason to refuse, so I will write a reply of approval and hand it over.

Normally, if you’re in a position like mine or Margarete’s, it’s too early to send a letter today, then expect them the day after tomorrow. But she knows I’m busy and do not have much time. It seems that she decided to visit the day after tomorrow, which is the shortest time to exchange letters because I would not be able to reply by tomorrow.

There is no reason to refuse when my friend Margarete and my cute future wife Eleonore come to visit me. Busy is busy, but I just go to the construction site during the day and help out anyway. It’s a situation where I’m just helping out because I want to move the work forward even a little, and not where I have to help because we can’t make it on time otherwise.

I leave the reply letter to Katharina and start working on the accumulated work. I can’t play if I don’t reduce the accumulated amount before Margarete and Eleonore come. Assuming that the day’s work will be done in the morning and evening, I tried my best to reduce the work so that it wouldn’t keep piling on and on.

“I’m sorry, Flora. I know you’re busy, but…”

“It’s okay, Margarete. Now, come in. You as well, Princess Eleonore.”

Time passed quickly, and Margarete and Eleonore arrived. After greeting them, I immediately invite them into the mansion. Margarete and Eleonore are already used to our home, so they were as relaxed as if they were at their home.

“So? What’s with all this haste? Did something happen?” I asked.

After drinking some tea and calming down, I listen to the request. I wonder if she had something to say about Margarete’s sudden visit.

“Eh… it’s embarrassing for Princess Eleonore and the others to be in the room with us…” Margarate said, twiddling her fingers.

Seems it’s a private matter, not for other’s ears. I don’t know what she’s talking about, but if she says so, let’s humor her.

“Princess Eleonore, could you play with the older sisters for a while?” I asked.

“Uhn! I’m heading out!” Eleonore said.

“Come now, Eleonore, let’s play!” Mikoto said

“Fufu, Princess Eleonore, I’ll play with you as well,” Alexandra said, smiling.

All the other maids also get out of the room.

Even so, Eleonore is completely attached to my wives… I’m jealous!

Well, joking aside, what kind of trouble is it for Margarete to have to request this condition to explain it? I wonder if the insider story of the royal family or the duke’s family will come out. A harbinger of some kind of political change?

“So then… what’s the matter?” I asked.

“Uhn… umm…”

While saying so, Margarete blushes and doesn’t say anything to move it forward. Her gaze drifts, she brings her hand to her face, she rests her hand on it, and the discussion doesn’t seem to progress at this rate. But I can’t just force her to say it. I wait patiently until my partner is ready. And after waiting a while, she finally opened her mouth.

“Um… see? It’s about the night…”

“The night?”

I don’t know what Margarete is talking about. What is this “night”? Paperwork at night? Night training?

“With His Highness Ludwig… um… it was thanks to you, Flora, that I even kissed him… but I don’t know what to do after that…” Margarete said.

“Aah…, ah~…”

Is that so? Are you that kind of person? Do you normally talk about it with someone like me? No, it isn’t because Ludwig is my ex-fiancé or something like that, right? Are you going to say that to me, who is single in my previous life and this life? That’s what I mean.

It’s true that I helped Margarete and Ludwig on a date before, hoping to bring them together. As a result, Ludwig kissed Margarete, and the engagement with me was also dissolved. But after that, in other words, she doesn’t know what to do at night, should she really be consulting with me about this?

Ordinarily, wouldn’t you ask your parents, sisters, or the maid who is attached to you, who is closer to you? Or maybe there is a tutor who teaches women’s manners. Why are you asking me, who is inexperienced above all else? Far from being shallow, I have no experience as a woman. Isn’t this bad?

“Eh~… I don’t have that kind of experience either… but if we’re alone in the bedroom at night, the rest will be the man’s move, right?” I asked.

“His Highness Ludwig, uh… he doesn’t let us be alone in the bedroom,” Margarete said. “If it’s late at night, he says, ‘It’s not good for an unmarried man and woman to be together late at night.’ and sends me out quickly.”

Are you kidding me?! Ludwig! You fucking bastard! Even though you have such a cute bride, you haven’t even put your hands on her yet? That’s enough! Apologize to all the single people in the country!

“Maybe that’s just because His Highness is a bit lame…” I said.

“Oh, that’s not true! His Highness Ludwig is a very serious person. You know that, don’t you, Flora?”

“Well…”

No, I don’t, do I? I’m not interested, aren’t I? But maybe Margarete thinks I know because I’m his ex-fiancée. I have never met or spoken to Ludwig privately. He’s a stranger who I’ve only met on official business. I don’t really know what kind of personality and what kind of propensities he has, and I don’t want to know.

After this, Margarete and a lot of girl’s talk played out. Margarete, who is a late bloomer, and I, who has no experience as a woman. The conversation should not proceed smoothly.

However, I am mentally a man, so I can say things from a man’s point of view based on my previous life experiences. In that sense, I gave some kind of advice, but the conversation was so raw that I would never leak it to others. What was I doing at this time too? I think we had that kind of conversation. I will never speak out for the rest of my life. I will take this conversation to the grave.

“You’re so strange, Flora,” Margarete said. “You seem to understand how men feel.”

“–!? Well, is that so? It’s just a general theory or a story I’ve heard, and it’s just old hearsay, but… I’m glad I was able to help you.”

Margarete… you’re surprisingly sharp, aren’t you… Maybe you know I’m a man on the inside, don’t you? Based on my experience in my previous life, I can say various things about nightlife from a man’s point of view. I don’t necessarily agree with Ludwig’s, but I know what the average guy thinks.

“And then… there are various awful rumors flying around in the palace now,” Margarete said. “Flora, please be careful.”

“Huh? Uuu, rumors?”

My heart sank for a moment. Could it be that they found out that I was on an expedition to Blish Isles, or that they found out that I had become its king?

“I don’t want to say this too much because it would not be about a stranger to me, either, but it seems that the Second Queen Amalie, Marquis Siegen, and Duke Nassam are moving to do something.”

“I see……”

Over in that direction… I panicked. I wondered if rumors about me were spreading. I’d like to say that it’s not about me, it’s just a relief, but I can’t leave this alone.

The Houses of the Siegen Marquisate and the Nassam Duchy have become a little quieter after the House Lingerburg Incident. But that level is not enough to cut off the political and noble life completely. It’s a light matter that can be solved eventually if you are a little discreet. It wasn’t as much damage as what happened to Duke Bayen’s Faction.

I thought they would start doing something unnecessary again eventually, but it seems that they were already working under the surface. If they don’t get involved with me, even if they’re doing something wrong, it’s the people in specialized posts and the Royal Faction who are cracking down on it. It’s not something I have to do a thing about.

But…if you’re holding a grudge against me and wanting to do something to House Caan or House Carruthers, then I can’t leave them alone. It’s too late to deal with it after something happens. I’ll also need to get your hands on the information.

“The Principality of Aust is also engaged in a war, and it seems that Duke Bayen’s Faction has also been moving alongside these events,” Margarete said. “Flora, please take good care of yourself.”

“Yes, I will. Thank you, Margarete.”

Is the Principality of Aust at war? Why? Where? Besides, the Bayen Faction which received so much damage is moving again? What will they do now after they should have lost power, lost the money they built up, and lost their credibility?

It seems that various things happened while I was a little away from the central political circles of the Kingdom of Ploiss. This may stink. It’s as if the suspicious guys’ movements are linked to that. Better prepare yourself a little.

“Well then, let’s play with Princess Eleonore,” Margarete said. “If you don’t play with her adorable and delightful self, there wasn’t any point in bringing her with me now, was there?”

“Well, that’s right…”

What do you mean…….? Are you trying to say I’m a lolicon and a pedophile? Anyway, we also left this room and joined Mikoto and the others, and that day we played with Eleonore until the sun went down.