Outaishihi ni Nante Naritakunai!! Chapter 337

"Hey, Princess? Was it really alright to decide on the match on your own?"
"… Nn?"

In the evening I was told to go home first and left the store with Cain as my escort. We slowly walked down the main street towards the castle.
Walking next to me, Cain said with dissatisfaction.

"I was so angry that I felt it wouldn't be bad if he was punished a little, but what's with the match?"
"Hmm. I gave it some thought…"
"Is that so?"
"Yup."

I nodded to Cain's words. I didn't accept the match without thinking anything. I'm planning to use it to maximize the café's popularity.

"Will you tell that to the Crown Prince?"
"Of course. I don't keep secrets from Freed. Ah, or have you already talked via telepathic communication?"

Cain and Freed can talk via telepathic communication.
I thought he'd already reported the exchange between me and Wire, but Cain shook his head.

"No, I haven't yet. Princess, if you won't hide it, I have no reason to tattle on you. I won't tell him."
"Yup. I'll talk to him myself."

Rather, Freed must cooperate.
It's a troublesome matter, and I want him to cooperate with my advertisement plan.
Besides, he's my husband. There is nothing I keep secret from him.

"But that Wire guy was a real scum."
"He's really talented though. I honestly think he's amazing to again amass fortune within two years. But considering that, I felt uneasy that he didn't have even one escort."
"Escort? If you're asking about escorts, there seemed to be five people waiting outside. I guess he thought it was nothing and didn't bring them inside."
"Ooh, good job grasping that."
"I sensed their presences."

Cain said that without hesitation, but I can somehow understand without an explanation just how amazing he is.
While talking with Cain, I leisurely walk through town. It's pleasant how from time to time, store employees I'm acquainted with amiably call out to me, "Lidi dear, are you going back to the castle?" When I answer them, "Yes. My husband is waiting," the conversation continues like, "Lidi, the Crown Prince love you very much, so you have to hurry back, huh." While my cheeks were slackening from the intimate interactions, Cain said.

"Princess, that Wire guy didn't seem to know you're the Crown Princess. What was that about?"
"He said he came back just last week, so isn't it normal he wouldn't know? Everybody hates Wire because of the past. I don't think anybody in town would kindly teach him that."

If he reflected it would be a little different, but no matter how I look at it, he hasn't changed at all.
Convinced, Cain said, "I see," then he suddenly stopped in his tracks.

"Nn? Cain, what is it?"
"Crap."
"Eh?"
"Princess, sorry. I'll get away for a bit!"
"Get away… Eh!? No way, Cain!"

In an instant, Cain disappeared from the spot. When I helplessly watched in a daze, I heard an impatient voice and sounds of footsteps from the direction of the castle.

"Lidi! Wasn't there a black-haired man with you just now!?"
"Eh? Older Brother?"

Brother came running. Looking at me, Brother immediately asked about Cain.

"There was a man next to you just now! A man with black hair and black eyes! Err, his name was… no, it might have been a pseudonym…"
"Are you talking about Cain? Older Brother, do you know Cain?"
"It wasn't a pseudonym? … Nn? Why do you know Cain?"
"Why, Cain is my escort…"
"Haa?"

Since black-eyed Cain isn't a secret, I answered honestly, but Brother's eyes suddenly widened.

"Cain is your escort!?"
"Y-Yup. He is… Is there something strange about it?"
"Strange or rather――"
"Alex, that's enough. Don't press Lidi any more."

Brother approached me. While he was making an impressive frown, Freed grabbed his shoulder. Seeing my husband appear after Brother, my expression brightened.

"Freed!"
"I finished work early, so I came to pick you up. Lidi, you? Are you done for today?"
"Yup. Various things happened, so everybody told me to return earlier than usual―― Say, Freed. Why does Older Brother know Cain? Cain suddenly made off, and Older Brother pressed me. I don't get it at all."
"I want to hear that too."

Freed nodded to my questions. It seems Freed didn't know Brother and Cain were acquaintances either.
Brother momentarily flinched under my and Freed's gazes, then spoke with resignation.

"It was nothing much. I met him at the curry store some time ago. Afterwards, we spent some time together, and well, it was fun, so I've been searching for him wanting to be friends."
"You met Cain? At the curry store?"
"Yeah."

I've heard from Lars that Brother goes to the curry store from time to time, but I didn't know he met Cain there.
But come to think of it, Cain said.
That he got the medicine to turn his eyes black from Ms. Delris once before and then walked through town.
Perhaps, he got to know Brother then.
While I was making sense of things, Brother said while looking around.

"Cain is quite conspicuous, right? He immediately caught my eye, but I never thought he'd be with you. And, where is he?"
"Where? He ran away, so I don't know…"

He wouldn't abandon his duty, so I'm sure he's watching us from hiding nearby. I could somehow guess it, but thinking about Cain, I decided to keep silent.
With his hair dyed black to not stand out, Freed told me and Brother.

"How about we return to the castle first? It's not a talk we should have in public. Lidi, he was seen, so it's not a good idea to keep silent. It should be alright to talk to Alex about Cain?"
"… Yup, you're right."

I thought I'd have to one day introduce Cain to Brother as he's Freed's close aide.
I couldn't guarantee they wouldn't meet somewhere either. But I never expected that to happen at this timing.

"Cain, don't run away."

He must've been nearby, so I addressed him.
I didn't get a reply, but I felt like I caught sight of Cain sighing.

Author's note

Thank you very much.

Cain's POV of meeting with Alex is in the extras. Alex's POV of meeting with Cain is in the  volume 8 of the bunko edition.

Chapter end