47 Episode 46: The Gray Earl Son (1/2)

Later, when I talked to my father and mother, Yuffi put out the invitation sentence to Miguel. I was just a little surprised that she had been asked to contact me for a long time. Uffi's moving, too, I don't know.

The reply from that Miguel arrived earlier than I thought. When I read the contents, I accidentally looked delicate in terms of the invitation of the flowers and the desire to ask you even immediately. However, I decided to hold a tea party the next day, as I had never been there to see her before.

The designated location is the corner of the outhouse garden. The tea Ilia prepared for me and the treats Raini made for me, ready to go. Later we just wait for Miguel to come.

”Dear Anisphere, We have brought the Marquis Graphite son.”

”Ha, Lord Ilia. You can call me Miguel, right?

Miguel, who has been guided by Ilia, says lightly with a seemingly good grin of people. Ilia's expression doesn't even move, and she takes a step back with a gentle glance as it is.

Miguel doesn't look like he cared about how Ilia looked like that, and he turns to me. I give Miguel my hand and ask him to shake it.

”Thank you for responding to our sudden invitation.”

”No! This was also convenient because I had an appointment with Miss Uphilia. Oh, of course I was looking forward to a moment with Princess Anisphere, too!

”Well, you're good”

If I finish shaking hands and step back, Uffi will step forward to take his place. Yuffi's hand holds a handkerchief and offers it straight to Miguel. Miguel takes the handkerchief offered by Uffi with respect and goes straight to his nostalgia.

”You did make good on your promise. It's a pleasure to see you again, Master Ufilia.”

”Yeah, I wanted to see you, too. Lord Miguel.”

If we laugh at each other, we'll stay seated. Ilia and Raini are asked to refrain from doing so at a short distance. Uffi next to me, Miguel sits face-to-face.

”Hey, the tea treats here are great!

”Because it's one of my proud squire's dishes. If you were indulgent, most importantly.”

”I'm also jealous that we have this kind of tea treat available exclusively!

Miguel consumes one treat after another. That's something I can eat a lot, I stare at.

Exhale with tea as you go, and Miguel looks at this one with a smiling grin. The atmosphere I felt before that I couldn't grasp was alive.... Well, what shall I do?

You don't like working with this kind of hand. Then I guess it would be a bad idea to behave strangely. Let's attack like ourselves from here on out.

”... well. Then I'll let you go vegan from here. Honestly, I'm not going to go around or anything. I'm sorry if you're here for a noble tea party.”

”Ho? And say what?

”I want to know if you're someone I can get along with. It's a hard atmosphere to grasp. I want to know if I can trust you.”

”That's quite frank.”

Miguel's smile remains the same. Nico and I feel those eyes look at me with interest. Show me a smile so I can respond, too.

”I'd like a candid opinion from Miguel, too. If you were to bet on me, how far would you bet?

”Is that a bet?

”Yes. How much future do you keep with me?

”That, of course. As his subordinate, he became Princess Anisphere's hand, his leg...”

”I want to hear Miguel's feelings, not as a Graphite family position.”

I say to block Miguel's words. So Miguel shook his expression just a little bit. The main thing that has changed is the eyes. The intriguing eye color looks deeper. Look back at me like that. I wait for Miguel's next word.

”... you really don't look like a nobleman rather than a royal, the princess. No, I don't hate it, though, do I? I'd rather. You know, dating a nobleman can be a tough thing to do.”

Miguel laughs when he breaks his posture and attitude at the same time. The vegetarian expression looked like a prank kid, and to be honest, it seemed like I had finally seen a side that seemed to favor me.

I get my feet together under the dress to go with it, too. I feel Ilia narrowed her eyes when I found her for a purpose, but dare ignore her and put a cheek wand on her desk.

”Oh, nice. Hey, I've always felt like I could get along with the princess, you know, me.”

”I'll say it often. Isn't that a pose, too?

”Well, how about that?

”Well, good. So, what do you say? How much value have you personally found in me?

”Is he still on his way? No, if it's worth it, I don't think it's a bad idea to give loyalty to a princess, do I? It's going to show you a different and exciting form of governance than His Majesty Orphans.”

Exciting governance. Well, it's exciting in the sense that you might just make and go about things you haven't seen before. It is inevitable to spread magic, and I will not deny it.

”So? Because what does the princess want from me?

”I want you to be on my side, but I'm not telling you to be. I want you to give me information instead.”

”Informative?

”You're right, you're the queen of freaks. Who will be on your side and who will be enemies with the bumps you've neglected before? I don't have the information to identify it.”

”I see?”

”So, I wanted to connect with you who seemed to have information. That's what I want.”

”Hmm?

Miguel hammering for fun. I look into Miguel's eyes so he doesn't change his expression in particular.

Well, I don't know how to get out. I think he showed me some vegetables, but I don't see the bottom at all.

”So?”

”So, what?

”Is it in my interest? Princess.”

”... So what do you want?

”Can I snort when I say the King's throne?

I ran chills on my spine and my cheeks were about to cramp unexpectedly. No, I know you're obviously joking, but I got a rejection reflexively.

Then an evil sign drifted from Ufi, who was sitting next to him. Even colder chills run and breathe like coughing. Miguel's laughing oddly when I'm breathing. Konnya.

”I'm kidding, I'm talking to a boulder.”

”... that's a funny joke”

”I'm sorry about this. What I want, hey. Then I want you to tell me about magic.”

”About magic?

”That's an idea that doesn't exist. What the hell do I perceive to produce such a thing? And I found a new theory where no one came looking at me. I admit it's too much of a rush to accept in this country, but I won't deny it.”

”... I'd appreciate it if you could appreciate that much.”

”I would also rate it. Honestly, I'm glad the princess has a royal bondage.”

Miguel narrowed his eyes and switched the emotions that were floating in the color of those eyes. I can't feel the heat of my emotions, just eyes to observe.

”I'm scared. Imagine when the princess disappeared from this country.”

”... why is that?

”The foundation of the Kingdom of Palletia is heavily occupied by the Spirit. There are plenty of resources for spiritual relations as a national characteristic. For example, if a princess travels to another country to enlighten magic, everyone will find value in spiritual resources. Then I need to take the Kingdom of Palletia. Your magic might have stripped your fangs. If a princess is to leave this country alone and take over a” named ”demon, even more so, magic can be used even if she is not a nobleman. It's horrible.”

”... that I would work with another country to destroy this country?

”It's not impossible to have such a future, is it? In fact, the princess's position was low. Even now, around the Ministry of Magic, the princess is reluctant to be king.”

That's an impossible imagination of the future. I think so, but I can't deny that it looks that way from the side. In fact, when Al Kun became king, he thought of leaving this country as one option.

If they think I hate this country. And if you look to the kingdom of Palletia, which is rich in resources to use magic. Maybe I'll join forces with other countries to start a war. That seems... a little undeniable.

It wouldn't have been strange if I had been a national bandit if I had misaligned myself with one thing. Objectively, I don't deny it.

”It's easy to deny it. You don't think about what happens when a human being as capable of acting as a princess abandons his country?

”I also think about leaving if you tell me to leave. I won't do it because it's irresponsible.”

”Scary. Scary. Truth is, the king and his wife are good parents now. His Majesty was conservative in some places, but not foolish. Well, I've been too cautious to allow the rise of the Ministry of Magic until now.”

”... What is the Graphite family's position?

That's where I've always been concerned. The Graphites don't really know what kind of house it is. Miguel deepens his mouth grin funny to my inquiry.

”Do you want to hear that? Well, it's neutral. I don't put my shoulder in either. Prioritize those who are in the national interest. That's the kind of stance I've had since I was the head of the Ministry of Magic.”

”But you left when you were a generation ago, didn't you?

”I heard it was because His Majesty bowed his head. He bowed his head to Grandpa, who was then the secretary and had penetrated his position of neutrality, and asked him to leave the seat of the secretary. To consolidate the country's policies, to unify the will of the nobles, who are thick in their magical faith, including the Chartreuse family.”

So you're saying that at Father's request, the nobles who are organizing the present Ministry of Magic, starting with the Chartreuse family, have begun to have power? Originally, the Ministry of Magic was the secretary of the neutral Graphite family?

”Beside His Majesty was Lord Grants, who was good enough to have de as a wizard, and Queen Silphine. After the Graphites took a step back and gave way, they paced with the Ministry of Magic, put the country in turmoil and stabilized the reign in case of an external illness. That in itself is a feat, but it has created a soil for future seeds of discord in order to take stability.”

”... but it doesn't make sense for the country to remain rough”

”Especially you.”

As a father, I guess it was a painful way to keep pace with the aristocrats whose magic beliefs are deeply ingrained. At the time, I asked people how rough the country was. He said he used a somewhat forceful hand to bring the country together quickly.

I thought he was like a father and not like a father. That man is not really fit for contention. So even if we can stabilize it, the problems of the Ministry of Magic have deepened its roots. There is good and bad, but the king cannot speak only on that side.

Maybe that's why the next generation of me was a wreck is also God's extraction, I can't believe it.

”What the Graphites want is the stability and prosperity of the nation. Anyone can do that. If the king is stupid, it's enough to put the king in perspective, isn't it?

”... to the point of becoming. It's good to hear that story. Relieved.”

”Hmm?”

”Miguel. Don't you want to make an alliance with me?