4 Episode 4: The Dukes Quartet Interview (Part I) (2/2)

”... you were real too”

Yeah. No, you really can't just imagine. I can't imagine myself like that at all. You're not saying you don't have greed, are you? Just low priority.

If I had the right to inherit the throne and my achievements in magic, I would be in trouble if the next king told me what to do. I didn't think that deep at the time, but now I do.

”The country would be rough if I remained in possession of the right to inherit the throne. Never.”

”How can you say it all?

”Miss Uphilia, what's my value? It's magic. There's just no way I can study magic in addition to the king's duties! Then I have to cut one of them off. Leave the affairs to the king's wife, who will be her husband? That means I'm gonna be a symbolic puppet, right? In other words, in order for me to succeed in magic, I must sever my right to inherit the throne!

When I become queen, I naturally have to do my affairs. When that happens, there will be less time for study of magic. The problem is that I have nothing to be proud of but the merits of my studies in magic. And don't let me hold a big purse like the state budget.

When I'm queen, I'll definitely build up frustration and explode. If he were to throw a round at his husband, who would become the king's mate in order not to explode, this time there would be a factional dispute over his choice of opponent.

”Then it was my father's idea to say I would marry someone, but not at the point where I would belong to someone in the first place. Because it has the power of magic. Magic is only something that should be managed in the country. If you don't, it's absolutely dangerous. And I don't even want to get into trouble, and I don't want a man to come into contact with me as a heterosexual in the first place!

”Be thorough...”

My head hurts, my father put his hand on my forehead all the time. That would be thorough! Because it's about the end of my fun second life!

”That's why you turned your hand so Al could be the next king! You know, more stupid than you need to be and show it to me!

”Anis, did you turn your mind that way?

”No, it was good enough.”

”I knew it!!”

My father moaned for real. Look, if the results are good, it's all good.

”But the thought seemed to be behind it.”

”Ugh.”

Lord Grants muttered in a chilled out voice. My father groaned in agony. That's right, after all, Al Kun's rampage is frustrating the next King's plan.

I think there are aspects to the fact that the wrinkle went to Al because I was too free. Maybe. I'm sorry about that. I don't care.

Well, I can't say that I don't feel that way about making amends for something like that, even though I've had an eye for Miss Ufilia's talent. Because this time it's obviously a royal mess.

”So it's Princess Anisphere's idea to involve Uphilia in magic and repaint Uphilia's reputation with that feat?

”Yes. To be honest, you don't think I'm going to stick my neck in Al Kun's side of the situation and do well. Because I am neglected by Al. In that sense, I think it might be better to pull in on my side.”

”Certainly not bad. That's all Princess Anisphere's magic is worth.... but does that benefit my Duke's family?

The pressure from Lord Grants swells up. Did your father get barometric pressure or did he slightly float his back?

Surely Miss Uphilia's reputation can be overridden. But then I'll see what I can do as a Duke of Magenta house. The fact that I take someone in leads to the danger I said earlier.

If you are a nobleman with as much power as the Duke of Magenta family, you may not have a problem. But a new problem emerges that you will have too much power, that you will be seen like you have.

”The Princess of Anisphere herself will know exactly what to do when it comes to putting her shoulders on. You said so yourself.”

”Yep.”

”Still want to put Uphilia aside,” he said?

”Yes. I wish her happiness. It's too bad to close her possibilities here. If so, I would like to explore that possibility.”

I, honestly, don't think royalty is right for my skin. Kill the individuals and give their lives to a collective called the country. I don't think there's much more to it than being a kingdom. I don't want to change that.

But I can't stay there. I want to live as I am. From the day my world changed, I lost my royal credentials.

Well, I'm staying because being royal is easier for me to do freely, and I have no complaints about contributing to the country in the way I think it is. I just don't want to be king until I kill one.

I just knew that my family was going to make someone carry a debt. Miss Uphilia is suffering from it after all. Then I want to do everything I can for you.

”... to the point of becoming. It's Ufilia.”

”... Yes, Father”

”Do you still wish to be queen?

Upon the inquiry of his father, Grants, Uphilia took that gaze, but leaned down powerless. Its shoulders tremble, pulling its lips into one letter and tying them together.

Grants is just staring at Uphilia. How much time had passed, the words of Ufiria, who had finally opened his mouth, coincided with zero falling tears.

”Sorry, no......!

”... apologize for what”

”I'm sorry...... I applied mud to the Duke's house, its name......! I have to do laundry, and I can't be queen anymore!

Interrupted, in tears. Uphilia shook her body and uttered her own heart with multiple zeroes of unrestrained tears.

Grants narrowed his eyes to Ufiria's response. It's as if the answer was dissatisfaction.

”Uphilia, answer again. Do you wish to be queen?

”I can't be”

”I can't be, I'm not. I'm asking if I want to be or not to be.”

”... I can't be! Sorry! Sorry.........!

Shake your head left or right, and Uphilia will say the same words. Grants just keeps staring narrowly at Uphilia like that.

”Uh, yeah. Lord Grants, I don't have enough words. Miss Uphilia, and you're wrong about your response.”

”Huh...?

It was the anisphere scratching its cheeks like some trouble that went between the two of them about to get a bad air.

”Who decided to say I can't be? Lord Grants is asking me what Miss Uphilia wants to do. And then someone decides to tell me. So Lord Grants says answer again. Isn't that right?

Anisphere asks by shifting her gaze from Uphilia to Grants. Grants turns his gaze toward Anisphere, but immediately shifts his gaze toward Uphilia.

”Uphilia”

”... Yes”

”I intend to treat you so that you are not dull to live as queen because you have decided to be queen.... but. If you don't want it, then so be it.”

Ufiria opened her eyes to the next shock she suffered.

... he stroked his head. Grants' hands are placed to accompany Uphilia's head, finger combing Uphilia's hair with clumsy hands.

”Stop it. If that's what you choose, I'll respect that.”

”... father”

”Whoever wants you to be queen, if you don't want me to, I will do everything in my power to protect you. Uphilia, I wish you happiness.... Until now, I seem to have dealt with you the wrong way”

”Such a thing...! That's not true! It is the gift of your father's education that I have come this far! Take that as such, mistakes, etc! Everything was a fool who defiled my family name without my virtue or strength......!

”Fools and other people are not in my daughter.... good enough, I'll forgive you if you can't forgive yourself. My family name is not too small for me or my family to shake like my daughter never finished.”

”As such, don't say… you won't know how to do it”

As in heartfelt trouble, Uphilia shrugs as she shakes her neck left and right like a child with zero tears.

From an early age, as the prince's fiancée, his future as queen was determined. I have inspired myself that I must be worthy, that I should not speak my utmost.

That's the best I can do. If you are to be queen for your country, do not trouble someone as much as your own. Smarter than anyone, stronger than anyone, he said he would lead the country with the king.

So even though we shouldn't be bothering you. My heart is not allowed to behave the way it wants. So, hopefully not to confuse her, Uphilia held her heart in her arms.

”Please, don't scold me... if I can't keep Algard's heart out for his incompetent daughter and our weakness for not being able to overturn an unspeakable wrongdoing...!

”You're like a toddler, Uffi”

Uffi, and. Far and nostalgic memories were stimulated. Ha, and if you look up, Grants is smiling bitterly like he's in trouble.

Oh, I remember. That's what my father used to call himself. Distant, nostalgic way to call it. As I was called when I was just a daughter before I was still my fiancée.

”Your mind had stopped growing, didn't it? That day, as if time had stopped. Remains a small Ufi, I didn't realize that. As parents, pity.”

”... father”

”I was harshly treating you, who would be beautiful every day, so that I could imagine you bearing the country in the future and leave the ordeal awaiting with my expectations. But that didn't mean you could train yourself just to wrap your armor around it. It's pathetic.”

”Please don't. Not to mention yourself, I don't want to hear words that degrade your father!

”Then tell the wretched father, the neglected father who does not realize the pain of his daughter. Do you still hope to be queen? Yufi.”

The hand I was stroking my cheek touches to wipe Uphilia's tears. Uphilia reaches out to lay her own hand over Grants' hand, which touched her cheek.

Warm hands, clumsy hard hands. I miss the old days, I was no different than my father's hand in memory. Uphilia was able to respond calmly, as her heart cracked as she was stubborn.

”... I'm sorry, Father. I can't admire Master Algard anymore. I don't want to be a queen.”

”... right”

”... I apologize for wasting everything you've ever broken my heart”

”Good. Yufi, it's what I want right now that you can laugh from the bottom of your heart. Good luck. That was a long detour. Sorry, Uffi.”

Grants hugs Uphilia to wrap it up. Uphilia, stuck in her father's arms, leaves her forehead on his chest plate to clasp, and cries like she pushed him to death.

Grants comforts her as she supports her trembling body and strokes her back with such a merciful glance at Ufiria.

”It's great air, Father! We're the air! Look, it's a world of two, what will you do, Father?

”You, uh-huh! With this air, you ooh!!”

”Neck! I'm extremely necked! Father, breathe! Referee, call for referee! Gibb gibb!! squeeze, squeeze!?”

This is where Orphans wiped his tears and regretted his mistakes that he had made Grants and Uphilia. Orphans' angry neck tightening turns to her foolish daughter.

Anisphere, strangled by Orphanth, is desperately scratching algae, blushing or bluishing her face as she slaps Orphanth's arm.

Upon his face to the touch of the king and princess, who became noisy as soon as possible, Uphilia glanced at Grants, her father.

And they laughed bitterly at each other, like trouble, not from either side.