‘I admit it. I went overboard with that. They aren’t completely naked.’

It was just that……!

“It’s okay, your highness. They are not showing any hostility.”

Sir Johann whispered to me.

That was a relief, but they were all showing so much skin! Both men and women were showing so much cleavage.

‘This sir is openly showing off his six pack while that ma’am’s back is completely visible.’

I finally felt like I came to a ‘foreign country’ for the first time since transmigrating here.

‘I know this is the south, but aren’t you guys being too liberal about clothing here? QNW is for all ages!’

“Welcome, Marquis François Duhem!”

I flinched at the loud voice. A person at the center of the group led everybody to show respect in the manner of the vassal state. Their greeting was very different from that of the Empire or the Holy Kingdom. The way they pronounced Riester was peculiar as well.

“Have you finally made up your mind to become Donna Corleone’s second husband?”

A shout-like question followed.

“Ahaha!”

“Wahahaha!”

The people standing by her started laughing as soon as she said that. The woman started laughing out loud while patting the back of the person next to her as well. The portal building, which was made of wood, felt as if it might float away with a wave at any moment. There were puddles of sea water here and there but it seemed to be maintained to a decent degree.

It was just hard to adjust to such an atmosphere. We kept our mouths shut as discussed in advance. The Marquis answered in an elegant tone.

“…My business, and the only person who needs to know about my business, is Admiral Emma Corleone. Will you please inform her?”

‘Wow, what a romantic answer.’

“Wow!”

“Oh my!”

– Whistle!

Their side became rowdy as well. The group whistled, clapped, and showed intense reactions as they stood there with their eyes wide open. They didn’t look like they wanted to get angry or hinder us. They just seemed to be loud with their voices and their movements.

I patted Demy, who was fidgeting under the robe. The woman who talked to us motioned with her chin and the youngest looking person ran out.

“The Signora is not here at Admah right now. She had something to do over in Zeboim. But we will still deliver the message. Maybe not if it was someone else, but it is you we are talking about, Marquis-nim. Who knows? She may personally come to see you.” She chuckled.

It was disappointing that the Admiral was not nearby, but the twin islands were connected by a portal so we should be able to meet her son.

“Thank you.”

The Marquis was surprisingly calm. He was not shaking at all as he stood there with his mace in his hand. The woman, who had a plate-sized flower on her head, started observing us with a sharp gaze. Her skirt and accessories looked different from Eva’s Imperial style as well. I was also looking at her while continuing with different deductions.

‘Are they all portal administrators? Is this serving as a form of customs?’

“It would be easy for us to offer you lodging as you are guests of the Signora, but…… The sir next to you should be the second young master and is the lady behind you one of the young ladies?”

“Yes. It is my sister.”

“Then what about the others? They look quite familiar for them to be attendants.”

She extended her head to see as she asked. I was covered by a veil so she was unable to see me, so she must be talking about Sir Johann. He was a handsome man by anybody’s standard and the way he stood up straight made him look very much like a noble.

The Holy Knight looked at the woman with a cold gaze.

“He is my guard knight. The other person is my attendant but he has recently lost his wife.”

“Oh my goodness! I’m terribly sorry for your loss. That explains why you are covering your face.” She looked at me and clicked her tongue.

“A farewell to a lover is always so terrible. Even the sun in the sky would lose its reason to shine so bright!” Such smooth words were coming out as naturally as breath.

The entire group focused on me. They all looked as if they were pitying me.

“Then are those animals his friends to help with the sorrow?” She deciphered the existence of the divine beasts on her own.

We had not decided on how to explain the little troublemakers as we were unable to come to an agreement. I was thankful that they came up with one for us. I had been quite skeptical when Antoinette insisted that I be a man who had lost his wife, but I guessed the concept was a good one……

“Signora Luchana, that’s probably not right. Maybe these animals are like their children that he was raising together with his late wife!”

“Oh! Such sad little treasures that remain as the symbol of their love!”

The customs agents started getting rowdy. I was shocked for a different reason.

‘Hold on, they all look so tough so how are they able to say such smooth things? I guess you really can’t judge people based on how they look.’

“Ahem! Anyway, Marquis Duhem, you and your group will have to stay in your lodgings until we receive orders from Donna Corleone. You will be restricted from leaving the lodging as you are from a foreign nation. But you can be relieved that I will not inform our lord, the Seigneur, about your visit. We know how to be tactful as well, after all.”

“Thanks.”

Signora Luchana resolved the situation and the Marquis just gave a one-worded response. I’ve never seen the Duhem siblings acting so calm before.

Luchana’s group guided us out of the portal. Sir Johann managed to hold back anybody from approaching even without releasing any pressure. I guess a Holy Knight gave off a different vibe even to atheists like them.

‘The Imperial Crown Prince should learn how to be an adult like this instead of trying to suppress everybody. ……I wonder if he’s doing okay. He should have used the necklace, right?’

“Signore, how do you prefer to fill the emptiness of your soul? Do you like lasagna?”

‘Excuse me?’ I jerked my head up. Luchana was looking at me with a pitying gaze.

My mind suddenly started spinning and my lips twitched like crazy under the veil.

‘I see. The culture here is different so the food is different as well. Pizza! Pasta! Focaccia!’

“Yes ma’am…… I do like it.”

I did my best not to raise my voice. I bit down on my lips as well so that I would not laugh.

Demy, who was inside my robe, helped keep my shoulders from rising up as well.

The woman nodded her head and gave the order.

“Tell them to properly treat our VIPs.”

“Yes, Signora!”

I knew it was not the time for this… I knew that I needed to be serious, but…

– Cree?

Yes. ‘I’m so excited!’

*

“Ha……”

Frédérique Riester released a deep sigh from all the way within her dantian for the first time in a long while.

She was the greatest figure of the Empire and a stern monarch. She could not even blame anybody else.

Furthermore, she had been the one to tell him that it was time for the Imperial family to make a move and to check at least one of the two with his own blade.

Of course, she never expected her twenty-five year old son to run off in the middle of the night.

“I didn’t think we would have the worries of a regular family like this.”

“Aurélie.”

“Cédric running away from home? I’m so happy.”

“……”

The Empress wiped her face with her hands.

The Cardinal looked excited as she went through the anonymous letter Sarah Belliard received as well as the flyers found in Claire Plaza.

A pale David had urgently come to the Empress Palace this morning.

The Empress’s heart had sunk, thinking that something had happened to her son, when the attendant offered her a note.

Frédérique looked at the note in her hand and scoffed.

‘I’ll go visit the south.

– S.’

There was neither an explanation nor a goodbye.

Instead of signing it as Cédric, he signed it as S for Sadie.

She didn’t know whether she should be in awe at the fact that he tried to calm his mother and godmother by using his childhood name or be happy that he was getting to cause the trouble he didn’t get to cause as a kid now.

She was surprised that he even managed to stealthily take the black horse that he cherishes so much.

SHe must have taught him properly about going undercover. She couldn’t believe it.

“We won’t have to worry about Sadie, but Élisabeth is going to have it tough. Not only does she have to protect the Imperial Palace on her own, she is also helping with the search.”

“SHe’s also looking after the little Blanquer kid.”

“Yeah. We need to quickly relieve the burden on that child. My little student as well.”

Aurélie mumbled while writing something down. The Empress slowly opened her mouth.

“……Is there any reason for Simon to do something like this?”

The beige-colored eyes turned to look at her.

“I’m sure there are if we try to see what sticks. His goal might also be to prevent the prince’s political influence from getting big in advance. He could also be trying to place a Religious Partner of his choice by Sadie’s side.”

“It’s still weird. This is not his way of doing things.”

“I agree. Simon…… Is not the type to put up a blockade like this. He also doesn’t like to expand the playing field.”

They exchanged glances for a while. They were the only ones in this large Empress Palace office.

Steam was rising from the recently brewed coffee while the firewood in the furnace crackled in rhythm.

A long silence cut across them. The Cardinal was the first to break the silence.

“We can’t suspect François and the prince. That is impossible.”

“Yeah. They are not the type to do something like this and one of them is sick.”

“Then why……”

“There’s something slowly scratching away at me.”

The Empress scowled.

Such a scheme really was not Simon de Sarnez’s style.

The Duke always preferred things within his abilities, things he could control.

He was called the epitome of modesty because he did not become greedy for things beyond his reach.

On the other hand, there were many rumors about how he thoroughly uses the things within his hand.

Such a person was capable of doing something so reckless for political gain?

Such a person made a plan where he would die if the other side didn’t die?

“Something’s up.”

Someone who had a child to protect-

“Yves.”

Went as far as putting his own body on the line in the terrorist attack?

“There’s a different reason for him to aim for this prince, Adam.”

The Empress growled. The Cardinal put the pen down and reached toward her. Tap!

“Mmph.”

“What if he received orders from the Holy Kingdom?”

“Calm down.”

The trained hand grabbed the Cardinal’s thin wrist. Her blood-like eyes were roaring with rage.

The Riester Imperial family’s fiery personality was something that had been passed down for many generations.

Aurélie used her other hand to cover the back of the Empress’s hand.

Calmly, and warmly… Just like a blanket that puts out fires and blocks the cold.

“……If the House of Sarnez are spies, when the hell did things go wrong?”

Her husky voice was calm. The Cardinal smiled as if to console the Empress and whispered.

“It’s okay. I’m here.”

Plop. Such words made the Empress relax like an idiot.

Aurelie carefully grabbed the hand slowly moving away from her.

“The children are there as well. They will have some trial and error, but our smart kids know how to pull their weight.”

“……”

“So let’s just focus on catching the tail.”

It was wise advice. Frédérique barely managed to suppress her roaring rage thanks to the help of her soulmate.

“……I guess we can’t use the troops because the festival is approaching.”

“Yeah. It would be bad if the main character pours cold water over everything.”

The Cardinal whispered. January 7th was the Empress’s birthday.

The entire Riester Empire was excited for the end of the year, new year, and the birthday celebration.

People hearing about spies or rebellion at such a time would make the chaos spread like wildfire.

Even if the prince got lucky and survived, he would end up being treated as the main culprit and cast away.

The damn flyers and articles were aiming for him as well.

This had been quite a smart plan.

“In addition to the Blanquer mother and daughter, call Sara Belliard as well. We will need to check the handwriting in those damn flyers and the letters to confirm who sent what information. I guess we need to shake up every person Simon has met with in the Empress Palace.”

“That is a great idea.”

“Aurélie, you go see the Imperial Guard member who survived.”

The Cardinal’s eyes turned cold for a moment. She immediately read the Empress’s thoughts.

“I knew you were suspicious of that guy. Then leave Archbishop Kessié to me too.”

Her voice was as gentle as usual. However, the meaning behind her words were not warm at all.

*

– Shaaaaaaaaaaa······!

– Splash, splash!

“It’s going to be a bit cold, okay? Your tears will probably freeze?!

Kahahaha!” Christelle stood on the front of the ship and laughed like a lunatic as she shouted.

But the other ship, which was now smaller than a pinky nail, would not hear it.

But it didn’t matter.

She was freer than anybody in the world right now and was not receiving any sort of pressure or coercion.

This was the first time she felt so free since transmigrating here!

“Baby miss! I see land in the one o’clock direction! That must be Sérénité!”

Her loyal helmsman and deckmaster, Ellen, shouted at her.

Her wet nurse, who valiantly took control of the key, had taken minimal amounts of rest to lead Christelle’s pirate ship here.

The young Captain made an O with her arms to say that she understood.

The First Mate, Isabelle, used a magic stone binocular to look toward the Sarnez Duchy.

“I don’t think they are able to chase us, Ollie. Your hail destroyed their sails!”

“We won again!”

Christelle smiled brightly.

Percy, who had taken them to the Sarnez shores, had urgently disappeared after setting them off on the ship.

However, the three of them were enough.

The ‘souvenir’ that Christelle had received from the Moutet County last summer, this pirate ship, had everything she needed.

The key that the pirates hat destroyed was magnificently restored as well.

Now that they avoided two ships of the Sarnez Duchy, as long as they safely got to land…

“Hmm?”

Isabelle lowered the binoculars and blinked.

She looked at her beloved daughter and wet nurse before looking forward again.

She couldn’t help but tilt her head. That over there……

“Is that an island and not where we were expecting?”

—
Translator’s Comments

Who knew the pirate ship would end up being used like this?

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