Chapter 26

The social gatherings held at the royal palace are sometimes referred to as "battlefields without swords," but this is largely an exaggerated expression. For most of the nobles, these gatherings are merely a place to meet face-to-face, engage in a bit of small talk, and take a break. The delicious food and wine delight the palate, while the elegantly dressed ladies and gentlemen please the eye.

Such was the elegant playground for the nobility. The true nature of these social gatherings was that only a small minority used them as "battlefields without swords."

However, such facts offered no comfort to Zenjiro.

Currently standing before Zenjiro were General Pujol Gijen, who boldly approached him, and his sister Fatima, whom the general introduced. Standing slightly to the side were Marquis Manuel Marques, who joined the conversation after greeting General Gijen, and his wife Octavia. And next to Zenjiro, holding his arm, was Queen Aura, who had joined the conversation under the pretext of speaking with Marquis Marques.

The majority of the people gathered around Zenjiro, who had made his debut in the social scene, were among the few who viewed these gatherings as "battlefields without swords."

"Then, allow me to introduce her. This is my sister, Fatima."

"Fatima Gijen, Lord Zenjiro. It is an honor to meet you."

Upon receiving General Pujol's introduction, the young girl with long black hair tied in a ponytail bowed with perfect etiquette. Her skin was the typical brown of a Carpa Kingdom citizen, and her slightly upturned eyes were black.

(Well, she's beautiful.)

Zenjiro, looking up at Fatima as she raised her head, muttered this to himself. Indeed, Fatima's eyes were at a height where Zenjiro had to look up. It wasn't that she was on a platform or anything; simply, this girl was taller than Zenjiro.

Well, given that her brother, General Pujol, was over 190 cm tall, it was perhaps natural that his sister, born to the same parents, would also be tall.

Standing at around 175 cm, with long legs that seemed to make up half her body, a slim waist, and a lack of volume in her chest and hips, she had a figure that could pass as a runway model even in modern Earth.

"Hmm, so you are the general's younger sister. Indeed, your features resemble his."

"Yes, everyone says so."

The girl, who had been told she resembled her brother, relaxed her tense expression and smiled happily. If that smile was genuine, then being told she resembled her brother seemed to be a compliment to her.

(If that's the case, they must get along well. I'll ask Aura about it later.)

"Lord Zenjiro, Princess Fatima of the Gijen family is known throughout the kingdom for her beauty and talent. Speaking of which, I often attend social gatherings, but it's been quite a while since I last met Lady Fatima. My, how beautiful you've become."

"Thank you, Marquis Marques. Until recently, I was staying at the mansion of Duke Pernia to learn etiquette."

Young Fatima faced Marquis Marques, who joined the conversation with a compliment, with a strong smile.

For Fatima, who wanted to sell herself to Zenjiro, no matter how many pleasant words Marquis Marques said, he was nothing but an obstacle. Her slightly upturned eyes naturally became more severe.

On the other hand, General Pujol, who was much older than his sister, well understood the folly of making a seasoned Marquis Marques an enemy here.

"Haha, Fatima, you don't have to look so upset. The marquis isn't the type to make advances on you. After all, he has the most exquisite lady by his side, one you can't even compare to."

Saying this, he patted his sister's slender shoulder as if it were a joke.

"O-Oh, brother...!"

Fatima, who was about to protest, instantly lost her energy like a wilted vegetable when General Pujol glared at her from close range.

"Yes, that's true. When I'm in the presence of Lady Octavia, I lose all confidence."

"Not at all... I'm already an old woman. Lady Fatima is far more beautiful."

Riding on her brother's joke, Fatima forced a smile, and Octavia blushed slightly and looked down.

At twenty-four and married, Octavia might have been criticized for such behavior, but the fact that she still acted this way was probably the reason for her popularity among the majority of the opposite sex and the reason she was despised by some of the same sex.

Fatima, one of those who despised her, kept her thoughts to herself, "Bah, this so-called young lady is just an old woman," and instead said,

"Lady Octavia is truly modest."

Sarcasm didn't work on this natural beauty, and if she were to attack openly, she would be seen as the villain, an invincible presence in the social scene.

Thus, after covering up his sister's mistake with a joke, General Pujol continued to promote her without giving up.

"Well, indeed, compared to Lady Octavia, Fatima still has a long way to go, but she has her own merits. She's quite good at singing and dancing, and with her experience in etiquette, she can even do the work of a lady-in-waiting."

"Hmm, it's rare for someone of the Gijen family's status to have etiquette training. But it's commendable. Perhaps in the future, I might take her as a lady-in-waiting."

"...Yes, if that happens, I would be honored, Your Majesty."

Intercepting General Pujol's offensive from the side, Aura, the general paused for a moment before responding. Honestly, there wasn't much to gain by making his sister a close attendant to Aura. It was only valuable because it was Zenjiro, with whom there was a high possibility of a romantic relationship.

While he didn't directly say, "Take my sister as a concubine," the continued aggressive promotion made Zenjiro feel a suffocating pressure. He was sweating for reasons other than the tropical night's heat.

If Aura weren't next to him, he might have given in to the urge to end the situation and said something that would have committed him.

"By the way, changing the subject, Lord Zenjiro, what kind of women do you prefer? Of course, the top choice would be the Empress, but do you ever look at second or third choices?"

Despite his words, General Gijen cut straight to the point, not changing the subject at all. Standing next to Aura, he boldly asked about women's preferences, showing considerable nerve. Of course, the royal family of this country was not monogamous, so it wasn't appropriate to apply Japanese standards, but even so, jealousy was a universal emotion, wasn't it?

Zenjiro barely managed to resist the urge to check Aura's expression. If he turned to her at this moment, the rumor that "Lord Zenjiro consults with Empress Aura before responding" would spread.

But if that was the case, how should he answer? If he could answer based on his feelings, he would say something like, "No, no, I don't need that. I'm happily married to a beautiful wife, so don't throw a third wheel into my family," but he was aware that he couldn't be that honest.

"Hmm, I've never really thought about it."

Unable to remain silent, Zenjiro muttered this, trying to dodge the question. Before General Pujol could seize on the tail end of Zenjiro's words, Marquis Marques stepped in to cover for him.

"Haha, I've heard from my wife that Lord Zenjiro and the Empress are very close, but it seems the rumors were not only exaggerated but understated. The current Lord Zenjiro is so infatuated with the Empress that he doesn't even notice other women."

Saved. Zenjiro, almost reflexively, went along with Marquis Marques' words.

"Don't tease me, Marquis. Well, I won't deny it."

Marquis Marques widened his eyes dramatically and laughed.

"Indeed, the Carpa royal family is secure. My, what a blessing."

Marquis Marques responded and laughed loudly.

With such an obvious attitude, General Pujol must have realized that Marques was fully covering for Zenjiro. Aura, who was standing next to them, was silent for now, but if the attack became too intense, she would likely counterattack on her husband's behalf. In other words, General Pujol was isolated in this situation.

It was unclear where he had gone wrong, but pushing any further in this situation would not yield results commensurate with the risk. If he pushed too hard and somehow angered Aura or Marquis Marques, rumors that "General Pujol is on bad terms with Queen Aura and Marquis Marques" could trigger plots from foreign countries.

General Pujol, who had ambitions to wield real power in the "great nation" of the Carpa Kingdom, did not want to rule a "fallen nation." This was the time to back off.

"Indeed, that is the most blessed thing of all. The Empress has found a wonderful partner."

Gently tapping his sister's back twice as a signal to end the promotion, General Pujol joined the conversation in the direction Marquis Marques had steered it.

"Yes, the best husband. Blessed with capable ministers like you and a fine husband like Zenjiro, I doubt there is a more fortunate ruler in all of southern Carpa, or even the entire Landrion continent."

"Haha, the best in the continent, you say. It's a bit embarrassing to be praised so highly."

"No, Marquis. Don't be too full of yourself. I believe more than half of the Empress's 'happiness' is due to Lord Zenjiro. Our efforts are insignificant."

"Indeed. Compared to the best partner, Lord Zenjiro, our loyalty might be insignificant."

After that, they probed each other's sore spots, but the queen, the general, and the marquis did not engage in aggressive exchanges, and the time passed relatively peacefully.

◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆

"It's over...!"

Late that night, Zenjiro, returning from the cocktail party, let out a sigh of relief and plopped down on the black leather sofa.

In the usual room illuminated by LED lights, Zenjiro, cooled by the breeze from the ice block fan prepared by the maids, strongly felt that he had returned home as he sat on the sofa he had grown accustomed to.

In just over a month, he had become so accustomed to this harem that he now considered it his home.

He seemed to have a higher adaptability to the environment than he thought.

"You've worked hard, Zenjiro. But it was worth it. Because of your public statement, rumors of our discord and that I'm unfairly restricting your freedom will likely subside to some extent. Of course, such rumors can never be completely dispelled."

Aura, still in her orange dress, leaned back on the sofa, looking a bit tired.

While she seemed less fatigued than Zenjiro due to her familiarity with the scene, it was clear that Aura, who had been on high alert all the time, was also quite exhausted.

"I see. That's good. Now I can stay in and relax for a while. Still... my eyes feel strange."

Leaning back on the sofa, Zenjiro blinked repeatedly. His eyes had been flickering since a while ago.

No matter how many chandeliers were added, their light was still just candle flames. Candlelight had a limit to its brightness and was easily affected by the slightest air movement.

Insufficient light and multiple flickering sources were more than enough to strain the eyes. Especially for Zenjiro, who had been relying on modern technology even after coming to this world, the chandelier light was harsh.

"Yeah, my vision is still blurry."

Saying this, Zenjiro, still sitting on the sofa, took off his shoes. In the Carpa Kingdom, where the climate was even more humid and hot than Japan, it was a culture where going barefoot indoors was allowed, but formal occasions like cocktail parties and balls were exceptions.

After taking off his indoor shoes and long socks, Zenjiro felt a sense of relief.

"My feet feel cool..."

Thinking about it, this was the first time he had worn anything other than slippers since he fully transferred to this world. He realized that he had been in a state of reclusiveness.

Taking off his shoes and unbuttoning the top two buttons of his shirt, Zenjiro felt much more comfortable. He told himself that he would take a bath and wash off the scented oil from his hair, and ended up taking off his shirt and pants, leaving him in just his underwear.

During his salaryman days, he had experience dressing in suits and engaging in verbal battles in diplomatic settings, but the fatigue he felt now was incomparable to that. The unfamiliar clothing was partly to blame, but he was also feeling the pressure of his position as a royal, which had a much greater influence than a junior salaryman.

"Alright, I'll relax too."

Following her husband's lead, Aura stood up from the sofa, placed her hands behind her neck, and with a rustling sound, undressed to her undergarments. In the past, as a royal, she had her maids help her change, but since sharing a bed with Zenjiro, she had become less inclined to have them assist her, due to Zenjiro's dislike of others entering the room.

The half-naked man and woman. They were no longer at the stage where they felt embarrassed, but their relationship was not so stale that they could ignore each other.

"Zenjiro"

"Hmm, thanks."

Aura took two cold towels from the refrigerator and threw one to Zenjiro. Returning to the sofa, she wiped off the sweat and scented oil clinging to her body with the cold towel and asked Zenjiro,

"Sorry to ask when you're tired, but while your memory is still fresh, can I ask you a question? How about it, Zenjiro. Among the nobles you met at this cocktail party, were there any who left a particularly strong impression?"

At Aura's question, Zenjiro stopped wiping the scented oil from his neck and thought.

"Anyone who left an impression... Hmm. There were quite a few until the end, but I feel like the Gijen siblings took it all. Honestly, I can't really remember anyone else besides them."

This response was somewhat expected. Smiling, Aura sat down on the sofa next to Zenjiro.

"Indeed, I see. Well, they were quite impressive. Let's start with the brother, General Pujol Gijen. What was your first impression of that man?"

At Aura's question, Zenjiro awkwardly averted his gaze. It was a question he had expected to be asked, but also one he had been afraid of.

Averting his gaze, Zenjiro began to make excuses in a hesitant tone.

"Um, well, you know. As a man, I can't really give an unbiased opinion about Pujol Gijen and Rafael Marques. I already have a negative impression of Rafael Marques even before meeting him..."

Zenjiro's words made Aura widen her eyes slightly and suppress a chuckle. Pujol Gijen and Rafael Marques. The names of the men who were once her potential suitors. In the phrase "I can't give an unbiased opinion," Aura sensed her husband's jealousy, and a not-so-pleasant kind of joy welled up in her chest.

Aura, who was tempted to reach out and touch her husband's body, remembered that he particularly disliked the scent of scented oil and restrained herself. It would be better to wait until after the bath for proper physical contact. She didn't want to make her husband feel bad over such a trivial matter.

"It's fine. I'm not so naive as to take your opinion at face value. So, just say what you think."

It seemed he couldn't avoid answering. Resigned, Zenjiro turned his head towards Aura, who was sitting next to him, and began to speak in a somewhat incoherent tone.

"Alright, I get it. Hmm... my first impression was that he's the type who only sees enemies and allies."

His words were somewhat vague, but Aura's eyes lit up with interest and she asked again.

"Hmm, what do you mean by that?"

"Well, you know, General Pujol has an incredible presence and doesn't try to hide it at all. On top of that, he's incredibly straightforward with his demands.

Maybe it's better to say that he's not afraid to make enemies to achieve his goals."

"I see."

Aura nodded slightly. While it was a bit rude to her son-in-law, his assessment of the person was more accurate than she had expected. Indeed, the openly ambitious Pujol Gijen had many admirers, especially in the military, but he also had many detractors.

However, the evaluation that he "isn't afraid to make enemies" was a bit unfair. As both a military man and a noble from a prestigious family, General Pujol was not so reckless as to make unnecessary enemies at court. He could manage