CH 368

Eh, this is my first time hearing about this, though…

When I think about the time they get exposed, my head really hurts.

“Even though people would normally grandiosely announce their contract with a Sacred Beast, you are keeping quiet about it, huh.”

Mariel-chan is saying that in wonder, but I would find it troublesome if the royal palace got ambitious with me.

“Mariel-san, would you like it if you were forced to work in the royal palace for the high-ranking nobles just because of your contract with a Sacred Beast?”

“Eh? No, that would be a bit troublesome… ahh, I see.”

“Exactly.”

It appears that Mariel-chan understood what I was trying to say.

“But… there is no household whose family status is higher than the Ellisfeed family’s, right? Or do you perhaps dislike the idea of working in the royal palace? You don’t have the need to work, after all.”

Wait a moment, I don’t have any intentions of sponging off of my parents and becoming a shut-in neet, okay?

“I don’t dislike working or anything, but I don’t want Mashiro and Kurogane to get used to fight wars, and look, you know? There is someone who is of a higher status than our family…”

“Eh? Of a higher status than the Ellisfeed Household? … Eh, ah? Surely not?”

Mariel-chan opened her eyes wide and looked at me.

“… His Highness the Crown Prince has yet to decide on his fiancée…”

I replied with a deep sigh.

Prince Ray might be heedless, but I know that he is not a bad person. However, that does not mean that I would like to be his fiancée.

“Eh, wow… I see, you might become the crown princess, Cristea-san.”

Mariel-chan, wooow… looked at me with sparkly eyes. Stop it.

“I won’t, I won’t, and I don’t want to.”

I denied while shivering.

“Eh, why? We are talking about being the crown princess, you know? Eventually the queen, you know? You will be reigning at the top of the country, you know?”

Mariel-chan apparently finds my denial strange. Even though she said it would be troublesome herself just a little while ago, she ended up getting blown away by the possibility of marrying to the royalty.

“Nono, I don’t want to reign or anything. It’s extremely inconvenient. Try thinking about it, okay? Becoming the fiancée of the crown prince means undertaking the crown princess training which means getting restricted in the royal palace.”

“Ah~ that would certainly be troublesome.”

“If that were the case, I wouldn’t be able to cook like I am now, I won’t be able to eat Japanese food.”

“Wha! Isn’t that a huge problem! Not being able to eat Japanese food!?”

There’s no need for you to panic, Mariel-chan?

“Right? It certainly is a huge problem.”

“That would be a huge problem even for me. Not being able to eat Japanese food in the future, unthinkable…”

Mariel-chan is grumbling such, but wouldn’t you be fine if you make it yourself…?

“My fiancé might be decided upon immediately before entering the school if it gets discovered, so I am keeping it secret. I will be able to put the matter on hold after enrolling and I might find other people who are suitable as my fiancé in the meantime… I thought that Otousama might be able to do something about it.”

I am relying on him to attain my objective, but I would fall hard if I moved poorly, so I feel staying quiet would be the best course of actions…

While nodding to myself, Mariel-chan looked at me with eyes of resignation.

“… You are quite optimistic, Cristea-san…”

“Eh?”

“I mean, am I not right? Your contracts with Sacred Beasts will eventually get revealed, your family status is high, and you own rights to many recipes at a young age while not leaving from your fief. Even though there were many rumors about you having a weak constitution and being unsightly, everyone got really noisy after seeing you appear at the New Year’s tea party for the first time.”

Eh, what’s that about? This is my first time hearing about this, though.