Outaishihi ni Nante Naritakunai!! Chapter 399

Edward also wanted to go with us to the courtyard, but Raid clearly refused him.

"It'll be a lighthearted chit chat between women. In other words, a girls-only gathering. Are you saying you want to peep at a girls-only gathering? Isn't that in bad taste?"

As a man, Edward had no choice but to back down after being told something like that.
Still, at first he tried to somehow persist, but she added, "Are you saying you will ignore the wish of your master to go with her first female friend on a walk?" Edward, who loves Raid, only answered, "I understand." Poor thing.
The garden I was guided to appeared just like a tropical botanical garden. Plants with large leaves grew abundantly. There were only plants that I hadn't seen in Wilhelm. Noticing a coffee tree among them, I stopped. White flowers were blooming.

"Is this a coffee tree?"
"You're knowledgeable. Indeed. This is a tree that's the source of Irvine specialty, coffee."

Irvine is the world's largest coffee exporter. Tea is by far more popular in Wilhelm, but coffee is also drunk. It's not an exaggeration to say the coffee beans are almost all imported from Irvine.
There's also the fact that the coffee tree , the raw material, grows easily in the tropics, but the coffee from Irvine is very delicious. I know Father and Brother drink it from time to time.
I recalled that and nodded.
I thought that it was natural for a coffee tree to grow in the garden of the Royal Palace of Irvine, its world's largest exporter.

"If you don't dislike it, I'll prepare coffee after the meal. I'm a little proud of our country's coffee, but everybody has their preferences. Fundamentally, unless foreign guests ask otherwise, we make sure to serve tea."
"Ah, I certainly want it."

Since I'm in Irvine, I want to drink coffee served in the Royal Palace here…. Or rather, I need to know. Only one type of coffee beans is important to Wilhelm. If there are any other types, I want to try them by all means.

"Got it. Then, I'll inform the kitchen. Please ascertain the taste of Irvine coffee."
"Thanks, I'm looking forward to it."

After all, I want to check out local specialties. I'm sure Freed will be pleased too.
I thanked her with a smile. Afterwards, we got back to strolling, but chatting with Raid was so fun I lost track of the time, and I completely came to like her.

"Say."
"? What?"

While I was walking, Raid talked to me and I replied. Raid came to a stop, so I also stopped walking and looked at her.

"Raid?"
"There's one thing I want to ask you. Lidi, I've heard that His Highness Friedrich desired to marry you. That His Highness fell in love at first sight, and it eventually developed into a passionate love, and even now he favors you greatly. What is His Highness Friedrich to you? I want you to tell me that."
"Eh? What's this out of nowhere…?"

I wondered why she'd asked that, but Raid's face was serious, so it may be a meaningful question for her.
I thought a little and answered her.

"Freed is my everything. I can't imagine my life without him."

Our feelings became mutual, we married, and I offered Freed all of me. Similarly, I think I received all of him. I am his, and he is mine. We're in such a relationship.
When I calmly returned an answer, Raid's eyes went round.

"Everything, huh. You're amazing to be able to declare that… Yup, after all, my eyes didn't deceive me. You both can be my new fuel."
"Fuel? What do you mean?"

When I answer that in puzzlement, Raid grinned. Then she said.

"Actually, this is a secret I haven't even told Elder Brother, but I write books. I've published a few under a pseudonym."
"Huh?"

I stared at her, astounded by the sudden confession.
She writes books? In other words, she's a writer?

"Er…"
"Their theme is romance between man and woman. But, I've been in a slump recently. I was troubled. Then, I heard the rumors about you two as a married couple. I thought that I wanted to hear about various things."
"Ha, haa…"
"That's why, I was happy when Elder Brother told me to go to Irvine, but…"

Raid sighed as though it was extremely regrettable.
Taking the opportunity, I asked her.

"Then Raid, why didn't you come to Wilhelm? You wanted to hear about us, right? Since I'd heard you'd be coming, I was looking forward to it…"
"Can I go to another country looking like this?"
"B-But… You were able to keep up appearances earlier…"

Hadn't she told me that? But Raid shook her head.

"I can do it only for a short time. It would be impossible for the whole stay in Wilhelm. Elder Brother said something like, 'If you make a serious effort, it'll be alright,' but my limit is a few hours, I couldn't do that while studying abroad!"
"Ah, aah…. I see."
"Besides, I heard I'd be together with Edward. It made me even more reluctant. I understand Elder Brother's scheme. He wanted to do something as foolish as getting me together with Edward."

As Raid displayed anger, I gingerly asked her.

"Raid, don't you love Sir Edward? He appears to care about you."
"No way."

Raid frowned with utter disgust.

"Please, stop. Why Ed. Who'd like such a girly man?"
"Girly?"
"He's a man who with a serious face says things like, 'Would you like to take a walk under moonlight?' or, 'You are so dazzling I can't look at you straight.' When I first heard it, I wondered if he went insane."
"… Ahahahaha."

A dry laughter escaped me.
Because, Freed says similar things. It's just that I'm happy about those pick-up lines, so there's absolutely no problem. But Raid thinking that he went insane means she really must have no feelings of love towards Edward.

"I can't imagine loving him. Why did Elder Brother come to a strange misunderstanding? No matter how many times I deny, he just laughs that I'm hiding my embarrassment."

Raid looked like she completely disagreed. While listening to her, I recalled that Prince Hendrik said yesterday that she was hiding her embarrassment.

"I placed Ed on my side because he's my trusted childhood friend and a skilled knight. Furthermore, he's understanding of me dressing as a man. There's no man more suitable to serve me. That's all, but Elder Brother misunderstood that for some reason."
"…"

I stared at Raid as she sighed. She showed a tired smile.

"Elder Brother wants to marry me to Ed no matter what. But, as for me. If it was an order, it'd be difficult to refuse, but honestly, I want to be spared marrying my childhood friend who I consider my family if possible."
"Marrying a childhood friend who you consider family. Certainly, it's impossible."

It's as if Will was assigned as my marriage partner.
I couldn't imagine my husband being my long-time childhood friend.
I'd rather marry a complete stranger.
When I was running away from the marriage with Freed, I also removed Will from the list of potential candidates first.
I completely understand the feeling of not wanting to change the close relationship with an important friend.

"You understand me, huh. I'm grateful."

Seeing me nod seriously, Raid offered her thanks with a serious face.

"Anyway, that's how it is. I was interested, but I decided that I couldn't go to Wilhelm. But, Elder Brother wouldn't allow that. Every single day he'd tell me to go Wilhelm with Ed. Because he'd already obtained consent from the other side… I gradually got angry that he didn't ask what I thought of it and snapped."
"… I-I see."
"And now, Lidi, he's invited you all here, no? I'm angry that he's doing something as unnecessary as involving other countries. I got fed up with talking with Elder Brother and started ignoring him. Be that as it may, you all simply got involved. I bear no grudge against you all. Besides, it's true that I wanted to meet you, so putting everything aside, I was looking forward to it."
"…"

I had no choice but to stay silent.
Told that Prince Hendrik was ultimately acting rashly, I pressed my hand to my temple.

"Um… What can I say, it's terrible."
"Yeah."

She gave a one-word reply, but that one word felt strangely heavy to me.

"Well, there are more reasons why I didn't want to go to Wilhelm, but…"
"Eh?"
"Please let me keep it a secret. Lidi, we became friends, but this is something more personal. I'll talk when I feel I can."
"Y-Yup. Got it."

I was curious, but it's only natural to find it hard to talk about a deep part of yourself to a recent acquaintance.
When I nodded, Raid smiled with relief.

"Thanks, Aah, that's right. As thanks, why don't we go to town, even tomorrow if you'd like? Being a writer, I go to town quite often. I'm not perfect at it, but I can show around those new to the Royal Capital of Irvine to some extent."
"Really!? Certainly!"

I wanted to see an Irvine town, so I'll be saved trouble if she shows me around.
If I see it with Raid first, I can show Freed around later, so I was very grateful for Raid's proposal.
Seeing me squealing with pleasure, Raid too made a happy face.

"I'm happy that you're so pleased… Ah, that's right. Tomorrow, I'll be dressed like today, but――"
"? I know, what about it?"

It's a natural appearance for her, so her going dressed as a man is a matter of course. As I had such thoughts, Raid for some reason smiled wryly.

"No, um, it's that. I don't mean to brag, but I'm often mistaken for a man when looking like this. And so… It may be an unnecessary concern, but I don't want His Highness Friedrich to misunderstand. It would be great if you told him in advance."
"… Freed doesn't know?"

I was sure he knew, but Raid shook her head.

"He doesn't. We've met several times, but only in official settings. I was dressed as a woman at those times, and despite being friends with him, Elder Brother must not want to talk of his own accord about the shame of his family. I didn't really care to tell him either."
"Hmph. Got it. Then, I'll tell Freed."

Certainly, if he saw me walking with Raid while unaware, Freed would absolutely get jealous and angry. I intend to treat her like a female friend, so naturally the distance between us will be closer than if she was a man, and if he misunderstood that, it's clear as day what would happen.

When I made a complicated face after imagining it, Raid said with a serious look that made it clear she understood what I was thinking.

"Please. I've heard from Elder Brother that His Highness Friedrich favors you, and I understand he's obsessed with you. I don't want to be killed over a misunderstanding."
"A… Ahaha. Yup, I'll absolutely talk with him."

The part of Freed that makes me unable to say that he wouldn't do that is scary.
I said the last words with a serious look on my face, and we decided on the meeting time tomorrow.
Afterwards, we walked through the garden while leisurely chatting. Eventually, we returned to the spot where Edward was waiting.
Edward was standing motionlessly at the entrance to the courtyard, but when he noticed us coming, he came over joyously… What is it? I couldn't help but be reminded of a dog rejoicing that its owner came back.

"Your Highness."
"I'm going to show Lidi around the town tomorrow. Ed, adjust the schedule."
"You are going together with Princess Lidiana? I understand."

Edward responded in a lively way to Raid's order. I could only see it as him being happy to be ordered by Raid. Taking Edward with us, we returned to her room. It was just the right time for lunch, so as promised we ate it together.
I took the opportunity to try the Irvine coffee that was served. It wasn't strongly acidic, and the bitterness was suppressed too, so it was very much to my taste.

"Wow, it's delicious. So there's coffee like this!"
"Only one variety is exported to Wilhelm, but in Irvine there are hundreds varieties of coffee. This is my recent favorite."
"Ooh…!"

I might buy some to bring back with me.
Talking with Raid was fun, so time passed in the blink of an eye.

"Ah, I have to go back already."

When I looked at the clock, it was almost evening. Freed would soon return to our room. Thinking so, I said my goodbyes.

"Sorry. Freed should soon be back in our room, so I have to go back."
"It's I who should apologize for keeping you here for so long. Lidi, see you tomorrow."
"Yup, see you tomorrow. Today has been fun!"
"It has. Lidi, I'll have Ed send you to where the soldiers escorting you are waiting. It'd be troubling if anything happened."
"Eh, then you won't have an escort."
"I may not look like it, but I'm quite strong. Of course, my basic physical strength is no match for men's, but at least I can run away. Besides Lidi, it would be a bigger problem if something happened to you as the Crown Princess of foreign country. I want you to take Ed with you, for my sake too."
"If that's what you say."

I'll gratefully borrow him.
I'd only just been cautioned by Freed in the morning not to lower my guard, so it was better that way.
To be honest, I didn't have to worry about security because Cain was somewhere around, but I couldn't tell Raid that, so nodding obediently was the best idea.
I had Edward take me to where my escort soldiers were waiting.
On the way, Edward didn't say a thing to me. Fulfilling his duty must be that important to him. The tense atmosphere naturally made me silent as well.

"… I also offer my thanks for becoming Her Highness's friend."
"Eh."

When we were about to reach my escort soldiers, Edward, who was walking in front of me, muttered so.

"Her Highness had no friends for a long time. She prefers looking like that, moreover she's unyielding, so that can't be helped, but I'm very happy the number of people who understand Her Highness has increased."
"People who understand Raid…"
"His Highness Hendrik, if I may be presumptuous, me, and then a few court ladies. Unfortunately, Her Highness didn't have anyone she could call a friend. Earlier, Her Highness looked truly happy. It had been a long time since I saw her make a face like that. I understand your stay is short, but I'd be happy if you spent as much time as possible with Her Highness."

Without looking back at me, Edward continued talking by himself.
When I was talking with her earlier, Raid seemed to have fun. She looked to be proud of who she is.
But, I don't know if her surroundings see it the same way.
She has the position of the Princess of her country, and yet she's still lonely. Raid said she writes books, but perhaps, she started doing that to distract herself from loneliness.
For some reason I thought about various things.
But――

"What about Ilya? Does Ilya not know the truth about Raid?"

I've heard from Ilya that they don't associate much, but I wonder if she doesn't know it.
I think Ilya wouldn't hold strange prejudice towards Raid's look.
They're fellow royals who are close to each other, and Ilya is interested in Raid, so I think they could get along. But, Edward's answer left me perplexed.

"Her Highness Ilya? She secludes herself in the room in the inner part of the castle and rarely leaves. It's same with Her Highness, so I wonder if they've even met a few times since Her Highness Ilya got married. Of course, Her Highness was in a female formal wear at those times. Unless His Highness Hendrik talked to her, it's likely that she doesn't know."
"I see…"

They have too few interactions.
Let's think of the strategy to make Raid and Ilya closer later.
Quietly walking behind Edward, I decided so.

Editor: Valkyrie

Side Story 1 of the manga is

Chapter end