Outaishihi ni Nante Naritakunai!! Chapter 385

After making sure that the other guards and court ladies safely arrived in Irvine, we left them and Brother behind and went to visit Princess Ophelia's room together with Prince Hendrik.
Ilya didn't come with us. I'd heard it before, but Ilya seems to hardly interact with Princess Ophelia, so she seems at a loss for how to deal with her. Ilya said she'd go back first to prepare for the evening party, and leaving her behind, we were led to the inner part of the castle.

"Ophelia's room is in the back. Also, I recommend looking outside from here. The ocean looks beautiful."
"Wow…"

I followed his gaze. The wonderful scenery rendered me speechless.
I could see a beautiful blue ocean that the castle of Irvine stood right next to.
There were no windows in the palace made of white marble. There were no walls between pillars either, so the scenery outside could be seen well. Wind blew inside. Certainly, the temperature was high, but perhaps thanks to the castle's open structure, I didn't feel hot enough to be drenched with sweat. The appearance reminded me of a certain mausoleum in India that I'd seen on TV in the past.
Probably because the ocean was near, the air smelled of sea water. The castle stood in a high place, so the castle town was well visible.
The castle town was completely different from the Royal Capital Lindwurm of Wilhelm. There were many street stalls and all the buildings had flashy colors, there was no sense of uniformity. However, in a different sense from Wilhelm, it had a lively impression and seemed bustling.
I saw the harbor. There were many foreign-looking ships moored in the harbor, even from a distance I could tell sailors were unloading them.

"Amazing. It's completely different from Wilhelm!"
"Wilhelm also has harbors, but I don't think they're as lively as this. After all, Irvine is famous as a merchant country."
"Yup."

I strongly nodded to Freed's words. A harbor in a Royal Capital feels fresh. The sight of foreign ships jumbled together was stunning and not something you could see in Wilhelm.
While I was captivated by the scene in front of my eyes, Prince Hendrik called out to me.

"I'm sorry since you seem to like it, but could we slowly move on?"
"Ah, I'm sorry."

Speaking of which, we were on the way to Princess Ophelia's room. When I apologized in a fluster, Prince Hendrik regretfully said, "I also wish you could watch it at ease."

"I more or less told Ophelia that I'd bring you. I didn't get a response, but I think she was listening, so she's surely waiting."
"Sounds complicated."

Freed said what was difficult to say. Prince Hendrik smiled wryly.

"It can't be helped that my little sister ignored me. But, my little sister isn't someone who'd ignore being told that foreign royalty is coming, you can trust me on that."
"Yeah. I've also met Princess Ophelia. She was a reliable person, so I'm not worried."
"Yup, thanks."

Prince Hendrik smiled with relief and began walking again. While following after him, I asked Freed.

"Freed, you've met Princess Ophelia?"
"I've been to Irvine many times. We exchanged greetings."
"Hmph. Is she beautiful?"

I was purely curious, but Freed looked awfully happy.

"Nn? Perhaps, you're jealous? No way. Lidi, I only find you cute."
"I'm not jealous."

Sure enough, I can't be jealous when I'm loved so much. It seems like he seriously won't let me go even in death, so the thought of him paying attention to somebody else didn't even cross my mind.

"I was just curious about what kind of person she is. I thought that His Highness Hendrik's little sister must be beautiful."
"I see. So you meant that. She was an androgynous beauty. But, what a shame. Lidi, you got my hopes up that you were jealous."

I was amazed from the bottom of my heart that Freed was seriously disappointed.

"Freed, I know you love me. I don't doubt it, so it's unthinkable I'd be jealous, right?"
"That's true, but… Lidi, I just wanted you to sulkily say, 'Freed, you're mine, so I hate that you don't only pay attention to me.' Don't you think it's best to feel that you are loved?"
"Freed, you know I love you."
"Of course. But I was thinking of consoling you, "Lidi, you're the only one for me," afterwards and then using it as a pretext to embrace you as much as possible."
"…"

Learning of Freed's motive, I breathed a sigh.
Why does he take everything in the direction of 'embracing'? Is he saying that it's still not enough despite me going along with him every night to my limit?

"Freed…"
"Nn? What?"

My husband was very cool as he looked at me with a smile. But somehow, I was very disappointed in what he was saying.
Well, I love him, so it's fine.

"… Nothing. I just thought that you're cool as ever, Freed."
"Lidi, you're also cute as always. My dear wife."
"… Do you always have such exchanges?"

While I was talking with Freed, Prince Hendrik walking in front of us said so in an amazed voice.

"Somehow, just by listening to it I'm overwhelmed by sweetness. I really want to drink a strong coffee."
"Drink it on your own."

Freed coldly said so. Prince Hendrick looked back and said.

"Hey, do you know the phrase difference in temperature? The temperature of your words to your wife and me is so different that I'm astonished."
"There's no way I'd act the same with my cute Lidi and my bad friend who forcibly got us involved in the quarrel between siblings, right?"
"Yup, I can't really say anything after being told that. Really, you're deeply in love with your wife."
"Naturally."

Freed easily affirmed. Looking at him, Prince Hendrick began seriously worrying, "I wonder if I should also show Ilya so much love. Maybe she'd become more confident if I did that?" Ilya would probably be surprised though, and I can imagine her saying that it's too much for her and crying, so I think he better stop.

Prince Hendrik stopped walking in front of a door in the middle of the corridor. Next, he took a deep breath and carefully knocked. It appeared that this was Princess Ophelia's room.

"Ophelia. It's me."

There was no reply.
I exchanged glances with Freed that perhaps she wasn't there, but Prince Hendrick breathed a sigh and said.

"Sorry. After all, it seems she's pretending to be out… Ophelia. Remember the talk from three days ago? The Crown Prince and Princess of Wilhelm are here. It would be impolite not to appear, so immediately――"
"Are they really here!?"

Before Prince Hendrik could finish speaking, the door opened with a bang.
An androgynous princess appeared there.
She had the same green hair and violet eyes as Prince Hendrick. Her hair was surprisingly short.
It wasn't long enough to reach her shoulders. Seeing the hair unthinkable for a woman, especially a royal one, I froze. She was wearing a very simple dress with hardly any lace or decorations.
It was a rare choice for Irvine, where flashy colors are preferred. She wasn't wearing any necklaces, and looking closely, I felt she wasn't using any make-up either. She looked at me and Freed behind Prince Friedrich with sparkling eyes.

"The Crown Prince and Princess of Wilhelm! I can't believe you've really come to Irvine…"

Princess Ophelia ecstatically stared at me and Freed.
For an instant I thought that she was in love with Freed, but I immediately realized that it wasn't like that. Her eyes clearly saw me and Freed as a set. She didn't look at Freed like he was a member of the opposite sex.
While I was troubled and uncomfortable being shamelessly stared at, Freed spoke.

"… It's been a long time, Princess Ophelia."

I also offered a formal greeting in a fluster.

"I'm Lidiana. I'm glad to meet you."

I showed a ladylike smile, and Princess Ophelia returned a greeting.

"Thank you for the consideration. It's been a long time, Your Highness Friedrich. And I'm glad to meet you, Lady Lidiana. I'm Ophelia. I apologize for my brother's selfishness at this time. By all means, please enjoy your stay in Irvine."

I felt relieved that she showed us a friendly smile. I was surprised by her hairstyle, but her crisp tone gave me a positive impression, and she seemed like the type I didn't have around me.
Standing behind her was a single knight. I guess he was the rumored son of a marquis house.
Thinking of making him Princess Ophelia's spouse, Prince Hendrik made him her personal knight.
While I was surprised that he even accompanied her to her private room, Princess Ophelia introduced him with a smile.

"He's my personal knight, Edward Lantinotz. He's Marquis Lantinotz's second son, and he himself holds the rank of a count."
"I'm the introduced Edward Lantinotz. I personally serve Her Highness."

I was surprised that he introduced himself with his full name, but come to think of it, this wasn't Wilhelm.
In Wilhelm, giving your full name to a member of the opposite sex means proposing, so it's normal to just give your first name.
The man called Edward had characteristic deep scarlet hair and black eyes. The exact opposite of Cain's colors. He had a knight's physique, so he was quite solid, but he had well-ordered looks.
If I had to say, he had a manly beauty. He was a different type than Freed or Brother, but he seemed like a man who'd be popular with women. He had a two-part earring in his left ear.
He was also the type I didn't have around me. When I unconsciously stared at him, Freed called my name, "Lidi."

"Eh, what?"
"It's rude to stare too much."
"Ah, I'm sorry."

I didn't mean to stare so much, so I apologized in a fluster. When I inadvertently looked at Freed's face, I suddenly thought.

―― It's different. He's not saying that I was rude to Edward.

Freed implicitly said that I mustn't disregard him and be captivated by another man.

I had no doubt that I was the only one to understand that.
Freed's eyes looking at me said it all.

―― Lidi, you can only be captivated by me.

I hadn't been captivated, but I was still convinced his eyes were saying that sort of thing.

Chapter end