Chapter 57

Prince Francesco and Princess Bona's visit made one person the busiest of all, and that person was undoubtedly Zenjiro.

Of course, in this case, "the busiest" is a relative evaluation comparing before and after their visit, not that Zenjiro is the busiest person in the palace.

Until then, Zenjiro had attended a few public events as a substitute for Aura, but it was not uncommon for him to have a whole day free.

However, such a life changed dramatically with the arrival of Prince Francesco and Princess Bona.

After all, they are the prince and princess of the great kingdom of Charwa Gilbert. To deal with them, a corresponding level of "dignity" is required. On the other hand, among the adult royals of the Kingdom of Carp, only Zenjiro, the consort, exists besides Queen Aura.

Since Aura cannot abandon her duties as queen, it is only natural that Zenjiro is assigned to handle the prince and princess.

"Lord Zenjiro. As I mentioned this morning, you have a meeting with Prince Francesco next. They are already waiting in the waiting room. Shall I bring them in?"

In a room of the palace that has recently become Zenjiro's de facto "office" and "audience chamber," Secretary Fabio's flat voice echoed.

"Yes, that's fine."

Zenjiro, who met the gaze of the expressionless middle-aged man looking down at him, nodded slightly from his seat on the sofa.

He really wanted to stretch and sigh deeply, but he couldn't be so vulnerable in front of this overly talkative subordinate of his wife.

As Aura said, it is true that this middle-aged secretary is a capable person skilled in the intricacies of the court, but there is no reason to like a man who, every time he makes a mistake, gives advice laced with sarcasm and irony.

However, it is also a fact that following this man's advice prevents fatal errors, which is both annoying and true. Secretary Fabio often tests him with words and actions that seem to have hidden meanings, but he has enough common sense not to make such foolish mistakes when it would be embarrassing to do so in public.

"Then I will bring them in. Please wait a moment."

With those words, Secretary Fabio temporarily left the room.

About ten minutes later, Zenjiro was chatting with Prince Francesco, who was sitting on the opposite sofa.

"Is that so? It seems you have gotten quite used to being here, Prince Francesco. That's a relief."

"Yes, the climate and food are not much different from our country. Hahaha."

Prince Francesco, with a smile that seemed to have no hidden meanings, responded cheerfully to Zenjiro's forced smile.

However, the objective facts and Prince Francesco's current words do not match.

The Kingdom of Carp, with its hot and humid climate and mostly covered by dense forests, and the Kingdom of Charwa Gilbert, which is also hot but has deserts and is always dry, cannot be described as having the same climate.

Naturally, the difference in climate affects the vegetation and the animals living there, which in turn affects the dietary habits of the people living there.

While the main dishes are similar, such as thin bread and soups and grilled meats seasoned with spices, the differences in the flour used for the bread and the types of spices used are significant.

To put it bluntly, it's as crude as calling French and British cuisine "the same Western cuisine."

(Still, there's a good chance this prince is being serious.)

After a few days of interaction, Zenjiro, who has grasped Prince Francesco's rough personality, chuckled inwardly.

In any case, the prince's words and actions are unpredictable. Every word seems to be spoken out of emotion and impulse, and there are often contradictions in what he says at different times.

Whether these actions are genuine or well-acted, it is a fact that taking everything at face value would be exhausting.

In any case, taking advantage of the conversation turning to food and drink, Zenjiro spoke the words he had prepared in advance.

"By the way, Prince Francesco, you seemed to enjoy the 'distilled liquor' at the banquet. How about it? Would you like me to give you a bottle?"

At those words, the golden-haired prince's eyes lit up, and he leaned forward dramatically.

"Really? Thank you, Emperor Zenjiro!"

Surprised by the enthusiastic response, Zenjiro slightly tilted his head back and called out to Secretary Fabio, who was standing behind him.

"Yes, really. Fabio, bring it."

"Hai, understood."

While keeping the middle-aged secretary, who bowed and retreated to the adjacent room, in his peripheral vision, Zenjiro intended to spend the time in silence until the secretary returned with the 'distilled liquor'... but his plan was quickly shattered.

"Wow, I'm looking forward to it. Thank you so much. I had never tasted such strong liquor before, and I've been hooked ever since! I've always liked alcohol, but this is in a league of its own. Moreover, you mix it with various things, right? I want to try different ways of drinking it."

The golden-haired prince, sitting opposite, continued to talk excitedly, unable to endure even a moment of silence.

While it is somewhat impolite to talk incessantly to an equal, pointing out such minor breaches of etiquette to Prince Francesco would be endless.

"Well, if you enjoyed it so much, I'm glad to give it to you."

While responding with a forced smile, Zenjiro saw Secretary Fabio return.

"Lord Zenjiro, I have brought it."

"Ah, thank you."

Zenjiro, still seated on the sofa, nodded slightly in response. Secretary Fabio placed a bottle wrapped in red cloth silently on the table in front of Zenjiro.

Reaching out to the bottle on the table, Zenjiro untied the knot in the cloth and revealed its contents.

"Oh!"

Prince Francesco exclaimed in admiration, but this time, his reaction was not exaggerated. In fact, the knight standing behind Prince Francesco, who had been expressionless like a statue until then, could not hide his surprise.

What appeared from the red cloth was a 'colorless, transparent, square container.'

Originally, it was a 'whiskey bottle' that Zenjiro had brought from his world.

The bottle, with a square bottom and long, vertical shape, was made of thick, transparent glass. Moreover, it had a pattern of turtle shell-like indentations all over, which, when bathed in the sunlight coming through the window, sparkled like a gem.

The bottle, which originally contained amber-colored whiskey, now held Zenjiro's homemade 'distilled liquor,' which was almost completely colorless and transparent. As a result, it was immediately apparent that the whiskey bottle was completely colorless and transparent.

To the people of the southern continent, who did not have glass manufacturing technology, it was more of an art piece than just a container.

"Amazing! Can I really have this? I don't have to return the container after I finish drinking, right?"

"No, you can keep it."

Zenjiro, with a wry smile, shook his head to reassure Prince Francesco, who seemed a bit poor for a royal.

Zenjiro wrapped the whiskey bottle in the red cloth again, slightly lifted himself from the sofa, and pushed it towards Prince Francesco.

"However, please be careful. This container is much more fragile than wooden or metal ones. If you drop it from a height, it will break easily, and it might even crack if it falls sideways on a hard surface."

While giving this warning, Zenjiro carefully observed Prince Francesco's actions.

Giving this glass whiskey bottle to Prince Francesco was not Zenjiro's decision alone. It was decided after discussing with Aura the previous night.

The people of the dual kingdom showed a strong interest in marbles but not much in beads.

So, how about a transparent glass bottle? If they could get some kind of reaction, that was the idea. However, the result was both beyond expectations and disappointing.

"Wow, this is really amazing. What is it made of? I've never seen anything as clear as this, not even crystal. And to make it into such a perfect, flawless shape!"

The prince's face, which expressed exaggerated joy, was so innocent that it was impossible to tell if his delight was for a "beautiful art piece" or for something with "high value as a magical tool."

(I'm in trouble. I can't tell at all with my judgment. Maybe I should have had Aura sit in, or at least set up a hidden camera to record the video.)

Zenjiro regretted it inwardly, but he knew it would be difficult in reality.

It was uncertain when he could find a timing for Aura, who was busy with her duties as queen, to sit in, and he had not yet come up with a way to secretly record with a digital camera without arousing suspicion.

In Japan, it would just be non-combustible waste, but here, he had given away a limited whiskey bottle. It wouldn't be worth it if there were no results.

As if sensing Zenjiro's concerns, Prince Francesco said,

"Of course, it would be uncomfortable to receive such a valuable item without giving anything in return. How about this? I will give you one 'magical tool' as a gift, Emperor Zenjiro."

To Zenjiro, this was an offer he had wished for.

It was fortunate that the other side had brought up the topic of magical tool creation.

Zenjiro, paying attention to Prince Francesco's expression and word choice, responded.

"That is a very attractive offer. However, I have heard that making magical tools takes a very long time. Is it really okay? I remember that Prince Francesco had already promised to make one magical tool during your stay."

As part of the agreement for the expenses of Prince Francesco and Princess Bona's stay and the limited armed presence of their guards in the palace, they had each promised to present one magical tool to the Kingdom of Carp.

The time required to make a magical tool ranges from months for simple ones to years for those imbued with bloodline magic. Consequently, the "personal thanks" for the whiskey bottle would not happen for years.

"Ah, yes, that's true. Hmm, what to do. If only I had that transparent gemstone, it would solve the problem..."

"!"

The content of the words, spoken in a small voice like a monologue in the latter half, made Zenjiro want to praise his self-control for not laughing out loud.

(Is this prince sane!? That's supposed to be their secret of secrets, right?)

Using a "nearly perfect transparent sphere" like a marble could significantly reduce the time required to make a magical tool. This was just a rumor with no credibility, but Aura, based on the rumor and correspondence with the dual kingdom, seemed to half-believe it was true. However, there was no solid evidence to support it.

To have the other side confess this so soon and voluntarily was beyond unexpected.

Could this prince really be just a fool? Just as Zenjiro briefly considered this convenient possibility,

"Excuse me, Lord Zenjiro."

A guard standing at the entrance called out.

Zenjiro, saying "Excuse me" to Prince Francesco, who was sitting opposite,

"What is it?"

called out loudly to the guard at the door.

"Hai, Princess Bona has arrived. Should I bring her in?"

At these words, Zenjiro suddenly realized something.

Come to think of it, why wasn't Princess Bona here?

Since the meeting request was made in Prince Francesco's name alone, Zenjiro had not felt any discomfort with Prince Francesco coming alone. However, upon calm reflection, it was strange.

From their interactions at the banquet, it was clear that Princess Bona was Prince Francesco's "supervisor."

Would the serious Princess Bona allow the problematic prince to meet with a foreign dignitary alone, which would be extremely dangerous?

"Prince Francesco?"

Zenjiro, who had a hunch, called out the name of the golden-haired prince sitting opposite.

Prince Francesco, with a bright, innocent smile, said,

"Yes, it would be a bother to always have her accompany me. The child needs some free time too.

I came without telling Bona, but she really has a strong sense of responsibility."

He said, scratching his golden head.

"I see. But since she's here, it's fine to bring her in.

Did you hear that? Bring her in."

(...Princess Bona must be having a tough time.)

While sympathizing with the chestnut-haired princess in his heart, Zenjiro loudly ordered the guard at the door.