Chapter 20

Thank you for your continued support. This is the final chapter of the main story.

I will post "Prince Sariel's Aftermath" (a three-part series) starting from today's second part.

The second part will be posted at 9 PM tonight.

I would be happy if you could read it.

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On this day, Riza came to meet Noel at Sirius's request.

She had been asked by His Majesty to comfort Noel.

Riza inquired about what had happened at the ball a month ago.

There had been guests from the Arles Empire.

The Anzelar Kingdom always provided the highest hospitality to the distinguished guests from the Empire.

The Kingdom imported a large number of magical devices from the Arles Empire.

In other words, they were a major customer.

However, if the Empire were to be reluctant to sell the magical devices that could be used as weapons, it would be a problem for the Kingdom.

Despite paying a large sum of money, the Anzelar Kingdom had to bow down to the Empire.

—Well, after all, they are selling "confidential weapons," officially.

In reality, they were just selling outdated offensive magical devices with much ado.

—But, this time, His Majesty was angered, so things won't go as usual.

If Noel and Sirius were to agree, the Empire's magical devices would no longer be necessary.

The visitor from the Empire was the Sixth Princess, Labelia, who was 23 years old and had been left behind due to being too picky about her partners.

Six years ago, when Sirius studied abroad in the Empire, there had been talk of an engagement between him and Labelia.

After Sirius returned to the Kingdom, the Empire broke off the engagement.

This was because they learned that the Second Prince, Sirius, had no chance of becoming the Crown Prince.

Sirius was not enthusiastic about the engagement either, so he was relieved when the Empire called it off.

That was the end of the matter.

However, Labelia said,

"The engagement was left hanging, but it's fine to proceed, you know."

This was not something to be said loudly in the middle of a ball.

Noel had no way to brush her off, so she could only pretend not to hear and smile.

Besides, Labelia was a princess from a great nation.

Labeila took advantage of the moment when Sirius had to leave and said whatever she wanted.

"Sirius-sama was very free in the Empire, you know, perhaps you could say he was wild?

He was enthusiastically admiring beautiful flowers.

He seemed very happy to have me as his fiancée."

Labeila showed off her ample chest.

She was wearing a dress that was unnecessarily revealing, even for a ball, to the point where the tops of her breasts were almost visible.

"Is that so?"

Noel nodded calmly.

"Apparently, Sirius-sama was heartbroken and came to the Empire because the pet he loved was let loose by the Queen Consort's... no, by a mistake.

You know, you look a lot like that pet."

Labeila leaned in to look at Noel's face, and Noel instinctively tried to back away.

"...Is that so?"

Noel stood her ground.

She felt like a baby rabbit facing a female leopard.

"Have you been told that you look like a golden squirrel?"

Labeila smiled faintly.

Noel somehow endured.

The ball ended without incident.

Since then, Noel had stopped smiling.

She would put on a social smile, but that was all.

Braed, who was with Noel, reported everything to Sirius.

Sirius made a formal protest to the Empire for Labelia bringing up the long-abandoned engagement during the ball.

There were letters that proved the engagement was broken off at the Empire's request.

The fault was on their side.

Still, it was the first time in the history of the Anzelar Kingdom that they had protested to the Empire.

To the knights, he declared, "We will stop importing the Empire's magical devices and use domestically produced weapons from now on."

Riza recalled these events as she came to Noel's private room.

Noel welcomed Riza into her room with a happy smile, but she seemed a bit worn out.

"Noel, you've lost some weight.

Are you overworking yourself?

Is the weapon enchantment that difficult?"

"No, it's fine.

I found it fulfilling.

We no longer have to rely on those defective products from the Empire.

The knights were happy, and I was happy too.

They said it was much more useful than the Empire's products."

Noel's new creations, the flame-explosion enchanted throwing knives and the sickle-enchanted arrows, were praised by the knights for being more powerful, easier to use, and more reliable than the Empire's products.

The lightning-storm enchanted longsword she gave to the captain was so powerful that only he could use it, but it could slay a dragon with one strike.

"That's great.

After all, we were a poor country and were buying them despite the strain."

"Yes.

According to the trade treaty with the Arles Empire, it was difficult for us to refuse imports.

In the past, we were forced into this by the Empire.

Well, maybe it was unavoidable at the time.

But this time, His Majesty protested about the ball, right?

Then the Empire said they couldn't export magical devices for a while.

His Majesty and the Foreign Ministry declared a halt to imports, taking advantage of the situation.

It was good that they said it first.

When imports resume, we'll start over with a review of the terms.

We won't buy from them anymore, so it doesn't matter.

The Empire thinks we'll beg them to trade again.

How foolish.

They were making a fortune in gold coins from trading with us.

The princess who was showing off her cow-like chest is the daughter of the third concubine, and her family is a high-ranking official in the Foreign Ministry.

So, I guess she was trying to cause trouble."

"The Empire doesn't just fire high-ranking officials who make mistakes, you know."

"Hmm, that's harsh.

I don't know if it was a mistake, but we were saved.

From now on, I think we'll be very careful with our contracts with the Empire.

We can be more assertive now."

"True.

Hey, Noel.

You seem a bit down.

Just tired?"

When Riza looked at Noel's face, Noel's shoulders trembled.

—Noel... You really have changed.

"Is there something you can't even tell your best friend?

And, Noel.

You used to call His Majesty 'Sirius' or 'Al,' right?

Why are you calling him 'His Majesty' now?"

Noel sighed.

"Riza.

Hey, you know...

I... I thought His Majesty loved me...

As a woman."

"Of course he does.

He loves you, doesn't he?"

Riza was asked by Sirius to do this.

If Noel's low spirits didn't improve, Sirius was very worried.

"Noel.

Are you still bothered by what was said at the ball?

What the princess said was a lie, right?"

"The part about admiring flowers was a lie.

His Majesty, due to the favor of the national deity, didn't want to get close to women who weren't chosen by the deity.

The range was very narrow, and His Majesty had his own preferences too.

The princess with the cow-like chest was being polite to the Empire, but she was a woman who kept getting flagged by the national deity's filter, so His Majesty disliked her."

"So, it was a lie after all.

Then there's no problem, right?"

"His Majesty really did admire the golden squirrel."

"Eh?"

"And the part about me looking like it..."

Noel looked down, dejected.

The golden squirrel, as its name suggests, is a golden squirrel. Despite being a magical beast, it has a danger level of zero.

It loves peaches and is a nemesis to peach farmers, but it is so cute that people keep it as a pet.

With its golden curly fur and bright blue eyes, it is very adorable.

—Come to think of it, maybe I do look like it.

"But, Noel..."

"His Majesty kept one for a while... until it was let loose by the Queen Consort's mischief..."

"If it's cute, that's fine, isn't it?"

"It's a magical beast rat.

It would be a laughingstock to have a rat queen next to His Majesty.

I thought it was strange.

Why me, of all people, with such a handsome His Majesty?

It's because I look like a rat he used to keep."

"Noel.

You are beautiful. Have confidence.

Besides, you spent the first night with His Majesty, right?

The 'Guide to the Bridal Chamber' I gave you was helpful, wasn't it?"

The moment Riza asked, Noel blushed.

"Y-Yes, of course. It was helpful.

Thank you, Riza."

Noel answered in a small voice.

"If that's the case, you're fine.

No one would marry a golden squirrel.

You are loved as a woman."

"Really?"

Noel looked doubtful.

"Yes.

Soon, you'll be able to go on a trip, right?

His Majesty was looking forward to finally going on a honeymoon.

Take a break.

Poor thing.

You're a couple of a super powerful mage and an enchantment mage. You would have been rich in no time.

But you're struggling in this poor country.

Take it easy.

You've been through a lot, Noel."

Riza patted Noel on the head, saying, "There, there."

"It seems that the former Prince Sariel has taken over the Vione family. Is that okay?"

Riza looked at Noel with concern.

"Yes, I'm grateful.

You see, this is something not many people know."

"What is it?"

"Zeraphi entered the mine. She won't do any physical labor for about six months.

Until the baby is born."

"Eh?"

"Prince Sariel's child."

"Eh?"

Riza's eyes widened in surprise.

"I'm the only one left of the Vione bloodline.

So, I entered the royal family.

In the past, the Vione family produced some good mages.

They had no talent for managing their territory, though.

So, they declined.

But, my sister's child might keep the Vione family going, even if only in a small way.

Prince Sariel will take in Zeraphi's child and raise it in the Vione family."

"That's how it is..."

"The baby's existence is a secret.

Zeraphi killed an innocent young lady.

But I don't want the baby to bear the burden of that sin."

"I won't say anything. Don't worry.

I'll just wish for the child's happiness in my heart."

"Thank you, Riza."

Noel thought about the child who would soon be born.

◇◇◇

It seemed that Jules and Robert felt sorry for Sirius and Noel not being able to go on their honeymoon.

At the urging of the royal brother and the prime minister, the two planned a trip to a famous tourist spot in the lake district.

It was about a five-day journey by carriage from the capital.

Noel and Sirius enjoyed their carriage ride.

On the fourth day, they were invited to the mayor's house for dinner.

This Solan territory had no lord and was managed by the state.

It was a land blessed by the national deity, and there was a spring where the royal scepter's spirit stone was found.

"The lake where the unfaithful queen, who died in an accident, tried to build her villa multiple times is nearby," the mayor said proudly.

"H-Hmm."

Noel knew about that queen. She was famous. She was even mentioned in the textbooks.

Noel remembered thinking, "Is it okay to write this in a textbook?" when she read about it.

It was written so openly when it could have been hidden.

The queen's family had been cut off and disappeared, which was probably why it was okay to mention her. They were a family that had been destroyed by using mages as slaves.

"Because this land is blessed by the national deity, the queen's villa could never be built.

Every time, it was struck by all kinds of disasters, and the trees could not be cut down.

The queen could not even come here for a summer retreat. There were great storms and earthquakes that overturned carriages."

"Was the horse all right?"

Noel couldn't help but ask.

"The innocent horse and driver were fine," the mayor smiled.

"The queen broke her thigh and face."

The next day, they arrived at the lakeside.

"Noel.

Actually, I have a place for us to stay."

As they walked along a pleasant forest path, Sirius said cheerfully.

"Are we borrowing a villa?"

This place was very beautiful.

The lake shone like a blue gem beyond the trees.

The scent of trees and flowers filled the air, and the occasional chirping of birds could be heard.

"I built a villa."

"Hehe.

It was built successfully?"

Noel thought he was joking.

They had just heard the story of the unfaithful queen's villa the night before.

"Of course.

When I built it for Noel, it went very smoothly."

Sirius smiled and took Noel's hand.

They emerged from the trees to a place with a good view of the lakeside.

"Ah, the green roof..."

Noel quickened her pace.

They had planned to rent a house with a green roof, white stucco, and red brick in the Republic of Condroa.

The cute villa in front of them had a red brick base and the rest was painted white stucco.

The window frames and door were a deep green to match the roof.

At the entrance, an arch was set up to be entwined with climbing roses.

"We'll go together to choose the color of the climbing roses you dreamed of.

We'll also get an iron bench.

We'll spend our days off here.

When the children are born, we'll buy a boat."

Noel's tears overflowed.

"Oh, don't cry, Noel."

"Thank you, Sirius."

"Finally, you called me by my name."

She was embraced, and just like when she was 12 and he healed her wounds, her hair was stroked until she stopped crying.

◇◇

It would be a while before the "teleportation magic" device, designed by Robert and Theo and powered by a super powerful mage, was installed to connect the palace.

[The End]