Outaishihi ni Nante Naritakunai!! Chapter 353

"… Let's see… I wonder what I should talk about."

Although I didn't find the topic as enjoyable as Marianne and Char's expectant gazes made it seem, I thought about it.
While I was mulling over what to say to satisfy them in a way that wouldn't reveal the details of our nights, Marianne raised her hand.

"Lady Lidiana. If you don't mind, can we ask you a question? If you can't answer, just say so."
"Okay…"

I was worried about what in the world I'd be asked about, but I didn't have to answer if I couldn't. When I nodded, Marianne said.

"There's one thing we want to ask today. At night, does His Highness visit Lady Lidiana's room? Or maybe His Highness summons Lady Lidiana and awaits you in his room? Just that!"
"Eh…"

Somehow it was different from the question I had envisioned.
I was sure since it was Marianne asking, she'd unabashedly inquire about the number of times a night or how Freed loves me. And if it had been a question like that, I'd have refused. So I was happy she asked a question considerate of me.

"Er… Let's see."

As I thought that I could answer that much as a compensation for the picture, Char, who had been sitting next to Marianne, stood upright and told me.

"By the way! You can think of this question as a question from the Watching Over Association members! When we asked it in the survey among the members, it was 7 to 3 for His Highness going to your room. However, we don't know the truth, right? And so, Dear Sister, I hope you can answer everyone's question!"
"… Eeeh, just what is everyone gossiping about…"

They're taking an awfully trivial story seriously.
I felt like sighing since it was about myself. But, the two didn't seem to think so, especially Marianne appealed with great vigor.

"No, it's an important topic! After you finish, does His Highness go back to his room? Or does he stay over in Lady Lidiana's room? Or the opposite, does Lady Lidiana stay over in His Highness's room? The result is completely different depending on that! The appeal changes!!"
"… Appeal."

What's with that.

What the hell is the Watching Over Association doing? I really wanted to question them, but I'd officially recognized it. I couldn't tell them to stop, so I decided not to ask.
And since it's organized by Marianne and Char, I can trust them not to do anything reckless.

"W-Well, fine. We don't really go to each other's rooms. After all, we live in the same room."

Let's answer quickly.
When I gave the answer with that in mind, their eyes opened wide.

"The same!?"
"Eh, yeah…"
"Lady Lidiana, you live in the same room as His Highness!?"
"I-I do. Freed said he wanted to, but… i-is it wrong somehow?"

They both looked up at the sky.
Their coordination startled me. Marianne's voice quivered as she covered her face with her hands.

"The same room… This is unexpected. But… the appeal is certain!!"

Char agreed with Marianne's words.

"That's Dear Sister for you. As always, she has His Highness's heart in tight grasp. I never imagined they'd share the room. But that means Dear Sister is simply loved that much… As Dear Sister supremacist, I can agree."

Marianne made a face like she suddenly realized something.

"Which reminds me, His Highness relinquished his right to mistresses. There's no problem with sharing the room… No, it's more convenient for His Highness who dotes on Lady Lidiana… Aaaah! It's overflowing!"

―― What is?

I decided to ignore them starting to wriggle for whatever reason and leisurely drank tea that had cooled down slightly.
I spoke to Tiris, who was watching this incomprehensible uproar with a smile.

"I'm sorry. Could you wait until they calm down?"
"No. It's because they both really like you, Lady Lidiana. Of course, I'm also a member of the Watching Over Association, so I understand their feelings."
"… Thank you."

My expression turned complicated as she confessed to being a member without hesitation.
I'm happy she supports my relationship with Freed, but I wish she wouldn't become a member of something strange. But as I officially recognized it, no matter what I say it won't be persuasive.

"Come to think of it, there are rumors of weird things happening outside the Royal Capital. Has Lady Lidiana heard of them?"
"Weird things…?"

I left the two who were still writhing alone and conversed with Tiris.
Her story piqued my curiosity, so I asked for details.

"Specifically?"
"I've only heard about it in town, but if any person with evil or malicious intent approaches the Royal Capital, they're warned and attacked by a mysterious creature. There are no dead, and only bad people suffer, so it's not a big problem, but it's still a nice gossip."
"Ooh…"
"Some people seem to consider it the guardian deity of the Royal Capital. Although it has a good command of human speech, it doesn't seem to be a person, but nobody has yet clearly seen it to confirm its form."
"Hmph… So there's something like that."
"Since it only hurts bad people, the guards also seem to leave it alone."
"I wonder if that's alright. But since guards don't have spare time, it can't be helped, can it?"

Although I frowned at the words leave it alone, if it only attack bad people, there's certainly no reason to put manpower to investigating. At least for now.
Perhaps having finally calmed down after deciding what to ask about Freed next time, Marianne and Char returned to their seats.

"Are you fine now?"

When I asked, Marianne nodded with a strangely satisfied expression on her face.

"Yeah… We apologize for losing composure, Lady Lidiana. Thank you for your cooperation. I look forward to working with you again in three months."
"… You don't need to fuss over it so much."

It was a cheap compensation for Freed's pictures. When I nodded with that thought, Marianne and Char looked delighted and began talking about a 'Watching Over Association Newsletter'.

"A newsletter?"
"Yes, a newsletter. It's released every six months. It's intended to provide the members with lots of information."
"Wow, woow… I  s e e."
"Lady Lidiana, I can give you a sample, so if you'd like, please read it."
"T-Thank you…"

I thanked her while twitching.

―― So there's even a newsletter. Terrifying.

I wanted to say that I didn't want the sample, but I gratefully accepted it, afraid of what could be written in it.
While I was wishing that I hadn't learned of the newsletter, Marianne said, "Come to think of it," like she recalled something.

"Lady Lidiana, do you remember masquerade balls? You participated in one, didn't you?"
"Eh? Yeah. O-Of course I remember. What about them?"

There's no way I'd forget. I couldn't say it out loud, but it was where I met my husband.
When I nodded despite being startled, Marianne said in a slightly quieter voice.

"It's about the gentleman Lady Lidiana wanted to meet. In fact, that gentleman didn't appear since then, leaving many young ladies who came for him utterly disappointed."
"And?"

What does Marianne want to say? When I found it strange and tilted my head, she said, "That's――" in an even quieter voice.

"A few months ago… That's right, just after Lady Lidiana and His Highness's wedding, he began appearing again."
"Haa? You're kidding, right?"

Hearing Marianne's words, I unconsciously let my surprise show.
Because, it's categorically impossible.
Masquerade balls are held late at night, however Freed hasn't spent one night away from me since we got married. He always embraces me when it's not that time of the month, and even when he doesn't embrace me, I sleep hugged by him, so a night without him is impossible.
That's why I know the man Marianne is talking about is somebody else, but I'm worried about why he pretends to be Freed… Or rather, I can't forgive it.

―― What does it mean? Why does he imitate Freed?

When Freed was attending masquerade balls, not only he didn't give his name, but he also changed his eye color and even the tone of his voice.
As for why, it was to make sure his identity wouldn't get exposed.
Something like the Crown Prince attending masquerade balls mustn't be known. He had various circumstances that made his participation unavoidable, but he seemed quite careful about his words and bearing.
And there's a person who'd imitate him now?
I don't understand.
I think it's possible to imitate him to some extent even if the face isn't similar by wearing a mask and having similar body build and colors, but I really don't understand what that person is thinking to disguise himself as a person who had already disappeared from the high society.

"… Marianne. I wonder if you could tell me the details."
"My! After all, Lady Lidiana is interested!"

Marianne smiled with satisfaction.

"Lady Lidiana showed interest in him before marrying, so I was sure you'd want to hear it and investigated a lot! I don't know everything, but please ask me whatever you like!"
"… Thank you."

She misunderstood me, but I still thanked her. Marianne's information cannot be underestimated. It's a precious chance to have her teach me, so I want to hear as much as I can.

"And? Is that person really him? His identify is unknown, right? Is there no possibility that it's a different person this time?"

I can declare with confidence that it's a different person, but sure enough I can't say that. For now, I wanted to make sure what others thought.

"Let's see… It's uncertain whether it's really him, but at least he feels like that from what I've heard. The tone of his voice is as gentle as before…. Aah, but unlike before, it seems like not just anyone will do. If he thinks someone is too much after talking, he bids her farewell. On the other hand, if he's pleased, he invites her to bedroom several times in succession. During that time, it feels just like dating, is what a woman who was his partner said. He's gentle even inside bedroom, and unlike before, he readily responds to conversations."
"Ooh… Conversation, huh. I wonder what specifically they talk about."

I can't stay calm hearing he pretends to be my Freed and preys on women. When I urged her to continue while suppressing the welling up anger, Marianne said.

"Mostly womanly topics. He's especially happy to hear out trifling complaints. Because women don't go outside, the complaints tend to be about relatives, right? Since he listens to matters that he can't understand without looking displeased in the slightest, he's even more popular than before."
"… Is that so?"

At least he doesn't seem to have a bad reputation. I'm relieved by that.
It may seem simple for a man to hear out a woman, but it's actually quite difficult. If he only gives perfunctory answers, he'll make her angry, "You're not listening," and the moment he gives a strange opinion, he'll displease her, "I wasn't asking for that." It's quite difficult to walk the fine line.
To do it skillfully, the man who dresses up as Freed must have quite high communication skills.

―― Why does such a person pretend to be somebody who had disappeared from high society?

Especially since Freed perfectly concealed his identity. He absolutely didn't want it known, so he should've been thorough about it. So except me, nobody knows Freed was that youth (if we exclude Glenn who seems to have been the one to propose that).
I don't see what could be gained by impersonating him.

"Um… I wonder what kind of women he invites to bedroom."

We're talking about Marianne. I'm sure she grasped information about that. I asked her that, and it seems I was right on the mark. The names that came out of Marianne's mouth were all of daughters whose fathers had high peerage. Moreover, all of them are quite beautiful.
After choosing a young lady once, he continues asking the same young lady for some time. After sharing a bed for a few times, he moves onto another young lady, but it seems he's an excellent flirt, as not one of them bears a grudge against him.
It was short but a wonderful dream. Everybody says things like that and simply envies the young lady that's chosen next.

"Hmph… He doesn't cause particular problems."

He participates in masquerade balls while following the rules. No one bears a grudge against him. It really looks like he simply enjoys masquerade balls.
… If we set aside the fact that he's an impersonator.

"Lady Lidiana, how did he appear to you? You've actually met him, right?"
"… Let's see."

I thought a little.
Going to the masquerade ball is without a doubt my dark past, but thanks to it I'm happy now, so I feel quite complicated about it.
However, my impression of Freed, huh.
I desperately recalled my first meeting with Freed. If I remember correctly――

"He was reciting awfully disquieting lines. I recall getting slight goosebumps."
"Eh…"

Marianne became speechless.
Yup, that's right, that's how it was.
The first time we met, Freed kept saying chilling pick-up lines in a polite voice.
Wanting to quickly lose my virginity, I found them irritating and tiresome, and I took them with a grain of salt.
Due to Father's plot I didn't know the 'Etiquette of Men and Women' that's the common sense in Wilhelm high society, so I broke various customs that I'd normally have to follow. But Freed, who seemed to fall in love with me at first sight, found even that novel and without minding at all took me to another room and embraced me for the first time. Moreover, he silently gave me an extra, the 'Royal Flower'.
At that time I was already in love with Freed albeit unaware of it, and we were actually betrothed, so it didn't become a problem, but normally it would turn into a big one.
… It was a terrible incident.
As I nodded deeply, Marianne regretfully said, "He wasn't up to Lady Lidiana's standards, right?"

"Even though it could be said that every woman gives in after being seduced by him, the Crown Prince was the only one for Lady Lidiana after all."
"E-Er… Yeah."

Actually, I readily gave myself to him, got my identity found out the next day, moreover two day later I was taken to the engagement ceremony, is what I absolutely cannot say, so I suitably evaded it.
It's not a lie in the sense that I gave in to Freed.
When I smiled to gloss over it, Marianne spilled a hot breath.

"I also want to meet him. It might have been different for Lady Lidiana, but he's a wonderful person praised by everyone. I wish I could feast my eyes on him once."
"… I don't think going to masquerade balls is enjoyable."

In truth, I felt out of place and went to the sweets corner to eat. I'd never go to such a place if I had no business there, but Marianne seemed to have a different opinion.

"Lady Lidiana, you can say that because you met him. I don't know when he might disappear again, so what's wrong with wanting to look at him from a distance once…!?"

I had asked Marianne, "I want to see the rumored man," so I couldn't really say anything to her once she told me that.
I gave up and ended up offhandedly telling her, "Yeah, why don't you feast your eyes on him once."

Chapter end