Last night…

‘I’m not trying to force you. Your thoughts on the matter are most important, my little prince.’

Cardinal Boutier definitely said that.

‘Will you keep it a secret from Cédric? He will get angry if he learns that I brought it up.’ She whispered that to me as well.

As for me, I was not the type of person who could say no to an awkwardly smiling senior’s face. All I could manage to say to her was… ‘umm…… I will think about it and give you an answer, your Eminence.’ That was all I could muster.

My teacher lovingly nodded her head as if she could wait forever for my answer.

I seemed to be the only one shocked after hearing something like that as Sir Johann looked completely fine as he ate a bite of the mocha Pots de Crème.

It felt like a dream even after waking up and thinking about it again.

‘I would have to think hard even about spending thirty years with my friends here and investing in real estate, but…… How does this make any sense? Is this sort of development really okay?’

“Has QNW’s rating hit rock bottom? Did I go too far?”

– Cruuu.

“Think about it, Demy. It’s been almost nine months since I’ve transmigrated here but the main characters are still not dating. I would have stopped reading a long time ago.”

– Cruuuuuuuuu

The red panda made a noise that sounded as if he was laughing. Rhea and Perry were each asleep on one of my thighs. I petted their warm bodies as I wracked my brain some more. Only the furnace in the room peacefully crackled.

– Crackle, crack crack……

After hearing the Cardinal’s comments and returning to Juliette Palace, I couldn’t sleep until late into the night. I may not have been a QNW reader, but I was decently sharp. There was no way to wrongly analyze that statement.

Purple tulips could mean a lot of things on the continent. The Almighty God, the Pope, the miracle of faith, the Covenant of Paired Stars, etc. But that will ‘only grow at my feet?’ Furthermore, she said something like that while in the rear garden? In the place the tale of how Arian and Philip became the first Religious Partners is passed down?

My teacher’s meaning was clear. She was telling me to become the Imperial Crown Prince’s Religious Partner.

“Is the author being serious?” I quietly mumbled. It was obvious that Empress Frédérique felt the same way. Our two elders moved with one mind.

“They even said that Christelle will soon become the young Duchess. Then she can’t marry a member of the Imperial family. This is serious.”

– Squeeeee?

“Yeah, she can’t. In this world, only the second child and younger can declare their independence to their family. The rule is that the eldest child or only children must carry on the duties of the family. Someone from another family will have to marry into their family.”

I recalled a story Christelle once told me. If she and crown prince Cédric got engaged, Duke Sarnez would adopt a close nephew to carry on the family name. This was because Christelle was an only child.

“It will be a big problem if the two of them don’t start dating before she becomes the young Duchess.”

– Whimper

My monologue became longer at this sense of crisis. I wasn’t even in the right state of mind to take out my notebook. I blurted out my hypothesis like a crazy person.

“If she becomes the young Duchess and then starts dating him, that’s a bit…… No. That’s not bad either. It will still avoid the worst case scenario.”

However, that would complicate things.

If Christelle dates and then marries the crown prince after she is announced as the young Duchess, the House of Sarnez would have to accept that they would be absorbed by the Imperial family and their legacy would disappear into history. They would be the talk of the Beau Monde if they adopted their nephew and forced Christelle to step down from her position at that time. Neither was an option a famous family like that would like.

“Haaaaaaaaaa……”

I couldn’t help but sigh. I buried my head onto the soft couch and closed my eyes. Percy, who had been playing on the armrest of the couch, flew over and landed on my neck. My shoulders felt heavy. I had decided to be friends because it was hard to avoid them, but now they were asking me to be in charge of his ‘plate.’ The love story of the main characters seemed to be the most difficult thing to achieve in this world.

“I’m suddenly being struck by reality. Do the main characters have to date?”

– Piiiiiii……?

The chimney bird chirped oddly. He seemed to be saying that this was unexpected of me. My eyes instantly opened wide.

“Of course they do. We have to keep the flow of the original,” I mumbled as if to firm my resolve and sat up straight.

As mentioned before, I had never read QNW. As a result, I had no idea how close or different things were from the original flow of things. Of course, I was sure that I was quite far from the original script. The two of them were originally not Holy Knights and the real Prince Jesse had no ether inside of him. There were even a few days that the main characters declined or avoided events that only I knew about. But if I stopped thinking about it and just ignored the major plotline of this novel to just que sera sera……

There will be no compass to guide me.

To be completely honest, I had no confidence that I could handle such anxiety. I wouldn’t have anything to say back even if people called me weak.

“Plus, it is nice to see the two of them together. They are so beautiful and delightful to see together.”

This was the truth.

– Piiii Pooooo

“What is up with your tone?”

Percy sounded like a little punk as he chirped. I chuckled and touched the tip of his beak.

I was a little, just a tiny bit angry, with my teacher. In the original novel, she was the one who played matchmaker for Christelle and the crown prince, making the readers call her Teacher Au. But why now……

– Knock knock.

Someone knocked on the door at that moment. It was time for the guests to arrive. I laid the red pandas to the side and immediately stood up. I made sure I looked okay and rubbed the back of my head as well.

Ganael poked his head through the slightly opened door at that moment.

“Your highness, Lady Sarah Belliard is here.”

“Yeah. Please tell her to come in.”

I smiled. The box on top of the table sparkled.

*

Ganael pushed Percy and the little troublemakers in a flower cart while Pierre went to get Tithé from the ice water. My guest soon entered.

“This is my first time in Juliette Palace. It is an honor for our House of Belliard, your highness.” The journalist elegantly bowed. Lady Belliard was wearing a beautiful dress as usual. Her robe that was adorned with luxurious fur and gloves also looked expensive. Her imposing voice was the same as usual.

I greeted her back and gestured toward the couch. She used a sharp gaze to look around before sitting down. I felt as if I could clearly see the contents of the upcoming < Biweekly Riester > coming out on the fifteenth.

‘Good thing I had them get a room we don’t usually use ready.’

“Please enjoy.”

Benjamin placed some refreshments down and walked out of the room. He had the perfect poker face on. Our beloved writer was great at separating his main duty with his side hustle.

“I never expected you to reach out to me first, your highness. To be honest with you, something like this usually never happens.”

“Haha. I’m sure everybody is hesitant to invite a journalist to their private lives.” I played along. I officially invited Lady Belliard to the palace as soon as we finished Old Lady Pomme and Henriette’s funerals and headed back. I wanted to give her some sun halo weed for her sick grandson. I received permission from the crown prince early on and carefully asked the Empress and Cardinal for their permission last night as well.

Of course, she seemed to have no idea at all.

“If it is because you have decided to proceed with another interview, I will serve you to the best of my abilities, your highness.”

“Another interview?”

“We have received quite a lot of questions since then. Our readers truly seem to love you. The May first issue with your interview has sold three times our usual numbers, your highness. It was the first time something like that has happened in thirteen years.” She seemed happy as she said that.

I couldn’t answer as I was worrying about how to bring up the reason for her visit. Lady Belliard seemed to take that as my willingness to be interviewed as she pushed up her small glasses and pulled out her notebook and pen.

“Please let me know when you are ready, your highness. Please excuse me, but how much time do we have?”

“I am pretty free today. It is the weekend.”

“Oh. I must be very lucky.” Her short white hair shook as she nodded her head.

I looked at the spiced flower tea she had yet to touch.

‘Oh, I think she said that she doesn’t drink anything when she is doing an interview.’

“Lady Belliard.”

“Yes, your highness. I will get started.”

‘Oh dear, she’s so fast.’

“We are receiving so many questions from our readers regarding the Madame Victoire incident. The holy artifact of the Count’s House of Cissé was found in the shabby room she was using in an inn. Even the old street vendors thought that she was a local and didn’t suspect anything at all…… I heard that you as well as his Royal Highness personally captured the culprit.”

“Well, that is true.”

“Thanks to that, people are believing that his Royal Highness is already creating his own group of people.”

‘I don’t know about a group of people, but he definitely seems to be trying to get a soulmate.’

“As a result, here is my first question. Your highness, are you no longer just a Confessional Priest in the Imperial Palace-”

“Excuse me, it is okay for you to drink the tea today.” I had no choice but to interject. She blinked her eyes. I pushed the steaming teacup toward her and carefully chose my words.

“I’m sorry to disappoint you, but I did not call you here for an interview, Lady Belliard.”

“Then……”

“How is your grandson doing these days?”

Lady Belliard’s face instantly went dark. She should be one of the best in the Empire at maintaining her poker face, but she became so weak whenever her grandson was mentioned. She had been the same when I first met her in the Temple Confessional. She finally started to speak.

“……Your highness, you are the only one who asks about him so often.”

The child still seemed to be unconscious.

“I’m sorry if my question has made you feel uncomfortable,” I apologized. The old woman quietly sighed before taking her glasses off.

“I did not say that to rebuke you, your highness. I was just wondering how you could be such a good person. I am a reporter out hunting for stories and the wife of not even a Baron but a Baronet.”

“Your background plays no factor in why I called you here today.” I said that and opened the box on the table to show her what was inside. Lady Belliard looked back and forth at the wooden box and at me before a questioning look appeared on her face.

“What is this, your highness? A flower tea?”

“It is similar to that. You truly are sharp, Lady Belliard.” I smiled. “This is called sun halo weed. It is a new medicinal herb that her Majesty has not announced yet, so I ask that you do not speak of it until it is announced.”

“……I understand, your highness. But why are you giving this to-”

She suddenly stopped talking. Her green eyes looked at me with disbelief. I became embarrassed and rubbed my neck.

“This herb is able to help the ether inside a person’s body. We have patients who have benefited from using this herb as tea. They have been using it for a long time without any adverse side effects.”

“……”

The woman’s lips were shaking. I pretended not to see that and continued to speak.

“I’m sure your grandson has already seen a healing priest, but…… They probably were unable to open the circles necessary to search his plate. That circle is extremely difficult to memorize and takes a lot of ether to use. It is hard for anyone other than the high-ranking priests who come and go from the Imperial Palace to use.”

I naturally couldn’t do it either. I thought about our good and brave little Gerrit and smiled.

“That is why I wanted to give this to you. Of course, it is possible that your grandson’s condition has nothing to do with ether, but you know how people are. We want to use every possible medicine out there to see if it will help.”

“Has her Majesty approved of this?” he asked in a shaking voice. I quietly nodded my head.

“She did not give me a quick answer when I asked. However…… She told me to do as I wish. Is there a problem?”

Lady Belliard urgently shook her head. She then bowed deeply. The old woman’s breathing was heavy.

“Thank you very much, your highness. This divine benevolence…… I will never forget it.”

“It’s nothing. We haven’t even seen if it is helpful to him yet,” I answered brightly and handed her the box after closing it. Having high expectations would lead to greater hurt if it didn’t work.

Lady Belliard covered her mouth with her handkerchief and tried to calm her breathing. She too seemed as if she wanted to not focus too much on the sun halo weed. She knew better than anybody else about the hurt from disappointment.

“Is… Is there something you want from me, your highness? I’m sure there has to be something.”

“Excuse me?”

The reporter suddenly said something like that. I became flustered.

‘I didn’t do this expecting something in return?’

*

However, it seemed stupid not to take it when she offered, so……

I shared a small hope of mine with Lady Belliard before saying goodbye. I didn’t know whether it would come true, but I thought it was fair since we didn’t know if the medicinal herb would work either. Our diligent attendants entered the room and cleaned up the couch and table. Pierre placed the fluffy and dry harp seal in my arms.

“Thank you and good work. Did you have fun? Was it okay playing without your big bro there with you?”

– Aaarf!

Tithé flailed as if to say no. I smiled brightly and was consoling him when…

– Knock knock.

“Prince Jesse.”

I heard Vice Captain Élisabeth’s urgent voice. I had an ominous feeling as I looked toward the door. The Vice Captain’s usually well-kept short hair was a mess from the wind.

What she said to me was even more surprising.

“The old fortune teller you mentioned…… She does not exist.”

—
Translator’s Comments

Cutie Vice Captain say WHAAAAAAT?!

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