Silent Witch-CH25: I Want to Take It Slow

"Prince. Yu. Ma."

Popping her head into my office was my fiancée, Lady Alteria Hwant, currently in men's attire.

"Oh, you're dressed as a retainer today."

I stopped my work and walked over to Allie's side.

"Sir Brian prepared it for me. Does it suit me?"

She spun around to show me the whole outfit, a gesture that is incredibly adorable.

"Yeah, it's cute. Huh? There are other fairies besides Tinn today."

I noticed two lights around Allie and voiced the presence of someone other than Tinn.

"You can see them? I met them at the detached palace. It seems your detached palace is a comfortable place. It looks like a few of them have settled in there."

"Hahaha, if the fairies have taken a liking to it, I'm honored."

I laughed and guided Allie to the sofa.

I had a servant prepare tea and closed the door. This is one time I won't accept any work-related visitors. I tell Lady Chiffone and Brian to have a seat as well, and the four of us have tea.

"How is His Highness Lenanino doing?"

Allie brought up my royal brother, which is unusual for her.

It's been a month since then. As expected, news of my brother, the crown prince, shutting himself away in the castle has started to spread among the nobles.

"He's the same as ever. I don't mind the work, but the people around him are getting noisy… Especially the King, the King, and the King."

I let out a sigh without thinking.

For some reason, my father the King keeps yelling at me to do something about my royal brother's current state. He says he left the matter with the Saintess to me. I have no memory of ever asking him to. Well, since this is the situation that resulted from me holding that tea party, I do feel a little responsible. Just a little, okay.

Because even without that incident, if he had kept pursuing the Saintess, he would have gotten the same answer. In the end, if the Saintess doesn't have feelings for him, she can't reciprocate my brother's feelings.

"Aren't you fulfilling more than enough responsibility, Prince Yuma? You're working so hard every day, buried in work. If he wants to change the situation, the King should be the one to act."

"Allie, please don’t say such things here."

Allie said that, puffing up in anger. The one panicking was Lady Chiffone. Because if someone overhears, it could be lese majeste.

But I'm a little happy. The sight of a girl getting angry for my sake is… a little delightful. It's a different feeling from when Brian gets angry.

"Thanks, Allie. But I've been thinking I should try to talk to the Saintess soon. Just so I can get my brother to meet with her one more time and have a proper talk. The Saintess clearly stated her own feelings back then, but if she just ran off like that, my brother probably can't move on. But if I contact the Saintess, I don't know what I'll be accused of this time…"

"That's fine. I will be the one to speak with the Saintess. Shall I invite her somewhere?"

Lady Chiffone says Allie is naive, but she's a surprisingly sharp girl. She understands what I'm getting at and says she'll take action. I can only be grateful.

"Thanks. Heh, I feel like all I've been doing lately is thanking you, Allie. I'm sorry for always dragging you into my affairs. What about you? Has His Eminence Jumelba said anything since then?" 𝐑ἈΝ𝐨ꞖÊŠ

I ask about Allie's situation. From the sight of her coming to the castle every day, she doesn't seem to be troubled. Has His Eminence Jumelba given up?

"It's unnervingly quiet. He might be plotting something. Given how obsessed he was, I don't think he'll give up easily."

The one who answered my question was Lady Chiffone.

"However, now that she's recognized as your fiancée, we have guards posted tightly around the Count Hwant residence, and she always disguises herself when coming here. I escort her to and from as well. His underlings are, probably believers, no match for trained knights and soldiers. He can't do a thing, no matter what he's plotting."

While drinking his tea, Brian curtly dismisses Lady Chiffone's concerns.

Lady Chiffone sulks at his words. Oh, crap.

"But that's His Eminence Jumelba we're talking about. The name of the head of the church is not for show. Since we can't predict what he might do, please don't let your guard down. With my royal brother in that state, I still can't move freely. I'm counting on you, Brian."

At that, Brian's expression tighten and he bowed his head. "Yes, of course." Seeing this, Lady Chiffone seemed to have calmed her anger as well.

I'm really counting on you, Brian. If you and Lady Chiffone are on bad terms, it'll be uncomfortable for the rest of us.

Well, regarding His Eminence Jumelba, it's not as if I've just been leaving him alone either.

In the official duties I started in my brother's place these past few days, there have been some "Hmm, what's this?" moments.

He, whom I had suspected for some time, was indeed a person with something to hide. So I plan to gradually corner him behind the scenes, but I can't have him making any strange moves before I'm ready.

I once again warn Allie to be careful. It would be best if I could stay by her side all the time.

"You haven't been hassled by any other nobles, have you? If anything happens, I want you to tell me without hiding it."

"No need for worry. After all, I haven't gone to the castle in my lady's attire yet. It's always men's clothes. Seeing me like this, no one would think I'm Prince Yuma's fiancée."

"Ahaha, that's true."

My heart warms at Allie, who says this with an "ehehe" laugh. She's such a good girl.

"Ah, but I do hear rumors about you, Prince Yuma, on the way from the detached palace to here."

At that, I tilt my head.

"Lately I've just been doing paperwork and haven't left my room, but did I do something? Did I make you uncomfortable, Allie?"

"Fufufu, they say you're ‘excellent.' Seeing you handle all the work by yourself and deal with it as well as His Highness Lenanino, people are saying your previous demeanor was just an act."

"Ugh~"

I didn't want to hear that. I lived for sixteen years without being told that, but it seems I finally snapped from being too busy and showed my true colors. It's the sad nature of a salaryman.

"You even shuffled personnel, that's going too far, isn't it? But thanks to that, the lower-level bureaucrats are showering you with praise, saying their work has become easier." 𝕗𝚛𝚎𝚎𝐰𝗲𝗯𝗻𝚘𝚟𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝕞

"But~ it was just too ridiculously chaotic. At that rate, the work would just keep piling up. The noble supervisors are all brawn and no brains, and they just keep sending me documents that are only signed without even being looked over. I can't just fire them, so as a last resort, I placed competent bureaucrats under the meatheads. Besides, it's meaningless to work in a department where everyone's individual talents aren't being utilized at all. So I just made a few small tweaks to the personnel."

I say it was for my own sake, but the three of them are looking at me with warm eyes. I get it with Brian, but why them, too?

"…Neville and his lot are probably plotting something again."

Brian, his smile gone, looks thoughtful and tells me I should be on my guard.

The details are sinister, and I want to tell him not to say such things in front of the ladies, but seeing Allie and Lady Chiffone nodding, it seems they're worried too, and my heart warms once again.

"It's not a problem. His methods are surprisingly simple. It's mostly poison. He thinks he can use me for my brother's sake, so he won't come to kill me in earnest."

I laugh to reassure the three of them, but Brian interjects.

"No, isn't that full of problems? What do you mean ‘poison'? This is the first I've heard of it."

"Is that so? They're all simple things that react immediately when stirred with a silver spoon."

"And he even adds it and brings it himself." As I cackle, Brian covered his face with both hands.

No, I agree that action is questionable, but if I don't feel any real intent, I think it's okay.

Basically, he wants to warn me. That my actions will create more enemies. To never betray my brother. That's the kind of twisted person Neville is.

As we were having such a conversation, an uninvited guest suddenly appeared with a bang, without even knocking.

I widen my eyes at her appearance. Brian has the same expression, but Allie and Lady Chiffone are bewildered. And with good reason. For that rude visitor who had just appeared was none other than my ex-fiancée, Lady Delia Soupley, the Duke's daughter.

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