Chapter 59

After parting ways with Prince Francesco and Princess Bonna in the garden pavilion, Zenshiro returned to the royal palace’s office once again.

“…………”

In the room, besides Zenshiro, only Secretary Fabio was present. The office was stuffy compared to the pavilion, but now that he was freed from the heavy responsibility of meeting with the two royal figures of a great nation, even the stuffy air felt comfortable.

He sat down lightly on the leather sofa, spread his legs wide, relaxed his shoulders, and took a deep breath.

Secretary Fabio glanced at him but, as expected, did not say anything at the moment.

Perhaps he understood that when there were no prying eyes and there was some spare time, it was necessary to let one’s guard down a bit to maintain one’s mental and physical health.

Moreover, the lecherous aspect of this middle-aged secretary was that he would gauge the perfect moment when Zenshiro had just caught his breath and his energy and strength had returned, and then start talking.

“Well, Lord Zenshiro. Do you have a moment? I understand that from the middle of our conversation, we moved to the pavilion, and there were things that we could not let others hear, correct?”

Could it be that this man could see the recovery of my energy and strength in numerical values? For a moment, Zenshiro even entertained such an unrealistic suspicion, but he had no choice but to answer the question.

He shook his head slightly, sat up properly on the sofa, leaned back against the backrest, looked up at the middle-aged secretary standing in front of him, and spoke.

“Yes, that’s right. The matter touches on the secrets of the twin kingdoms. To be honest, I never imagined that Prince Francesco would so carelessly reveal such information.

It’s not something I can pass on to you.

I will inform Emperor Aura about the details of this incident. If you think it’s necessary to know, ask Her Majesty.”

“Hmm... I see.”

In response to Zenshiro’s answer, Secretary Fabio placed his right hand on his thin chin and pondered for a moment.

It was unusual for this middle-aged secretary, borrowed from Emperor Aura, to enter a deep contemplation.

Was there something wrong with my response? Zenshiro, though not showing it on his face, was slightly nervous as he waited for the secretary’s reply.

Eventually, as if his thoughts had been organized, Secretary Fabio nodded and muttered to himself.

“This might be a case of being outsmarted.”

At this ominous comment, Zenshiro furrowed his brow.

“Outsmarted? What do you mean? Explain.”

Zenshiro did not recall making any blunder that would warrant being “outsmarted.” Rather, he felt that he had achieved a diplomatic victory, even if the other side had stumbled on their own.

Under the intense gaze of Zenshiro, who was clearly displeased, the middle-aged secretary, still not changing his expression, replied.

“Yes. The main issue here is that the secret information of the Shalowa royal family was directly revealed to Lord Zenshiro’s ears.

I have one question: Did Prince Francesco, who leaked the secret information, not try to keep it confidential afterward?”

“Yes, he did. He asked me to keep it a secret.”

In response to Zenshiro’s straightforward answer, Secretary Fabio nodded, as if to say, “I thought so.”

“In that case, regardless of the other party’s intentions, we have no choice but to follow their instructions. After all, it is the secret information of the great twin kingdoms of Shalowa and Gilbert. If we use this information effectively, we don’t know how much benefit it could bring, but it certainly wouldn’t be without benefit.

Moreover, the fact that Lord Zenshiro and Prince Francesco held a meeting today is recorded in the official records. This is a splendid diplomatic achievement. There’s no doubt that Lord Zenshiro’s reputation will rise dramatically.”

“...Ah.”

Zenshiro, forgetting to object to being called “Your Majesty,” let out a stunned voice.

What Secretary Fabio was saying was simple.

If the information Zenshiro obtained today were made public and used to benefit the Kingdom of Carp, Zenshiro’s achievements would be emphasized, and his reputation would inevitably rise.

Needless to say, this would be an extremely inconvenient development for Zenshiro and his team.

The male-dominated values of the Kingdom of Carp were deeply rooted. Even a minor “achievement” like this could serve as a pretext for Zenshiro’s expansion of power.

While many nobles recognized Queen Aura’s ability as a ruler, many still harbored a strong aversion to being subordinate to a woman.

Of course, there were those who spoke out of pure goodwill or a sense of justice, but there were even more who advocated giving Zenshiro more power because it would be easier to deal with him than with Queen Aura.

“So... what are you saying? That we still don’t have the upper hand in this situation?”

Still confused, Zenshiro asked in a hesitant tone. The secretary nodded slightly in response.

“Yes. If the matter were to become public, it could bring benefits, but it would also cause confusion. Therefore, it needs to be handled confidentially. We need to take a defensive stance.”

“Why should we, who heard the leaked information, have to go to such lengths to keep it confidential... It feels a bit unfair.”

While acknowledging the correctness of Secretary Fabio’s point, Zenshiro couldn’t help but voice his dissatisfaction.

However, as they continued to exchange words, the initial shock faded, and his usual thinking ability returned.

“But, did Prince Francesco deliberately cause such a troublesome situation? While it’s clear that it’s unnatural for a simple blunder to have led to the current situation, it’s also unnatural to assume that he planned it all out.”

In response to Zenshiro’s question, the middle-aged secretary shrugged his narrow shoulders.

“Well, it’s certainly too contrived to think that everything was a coincidence. However, even if we assume that Prince Francesco’s attitude is a facade and he is actually a very intelligent person, it would be an overestimation to think he planned to create the current situation.

After all, if Lord Zenshiro were the type to insist on taking credit, the situation would have changed completely. It would be impossible to plan for this situation.”

Indeed, that was true. Zenshiro was an exception. Normally, a male royal who obtained such secret information would not hesitate to use it to his advantage, and the twin kingdoms would suffer significant losses.

“Hmm. Indeed. But even if it’s a coincidence caused by a fool, it still feels unnatural. And if it’s a deliberate act by a wise person disguised as a fool, it still feels unnatural. Then, what’s the right answer?”

Zenshiro’s question was more like a monologue, and he didn’t seem to expect an answer.

“I don’t know. If it’s not all coincidence or all inevitability, perhaps it’s a mix of both. Or perhaps there’s a much larger purpose behind the leak of the secret information, one that is so significant that the leak itself is of little concern.

In any case, there’s too little information to make any conjectures.”

Indeed, Secretary Fabio’s words contained no concrete answers.

◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆

While Zenshiro and Secretary Fabio were deeply discussing serious matters, Prince Francesco and Princess Bonna, who had returned to the southern building, were walking down a long, straight corridor, engaged in their usual mismatched conversation.

“Prince Francesco! This is a problem. When you meet with Emperor Zenshiro and Empress Aura, please let me know in advance.”

“Sorry, sorry. I was trying to be considerate because you seemed busy lately. I ended up causing you trouble, yeah. I’ll be more careful from now on.”

To be precise, it was only Princess Bonna who was getting worked up, while Prince Francesco continued to answer with his usual friendly smile.

“I beg of you.”

As a chaperone, she couldn’t help but scold him, but it was awkward to lecture a man who was older and of higher status than herself. With a complex expression, Princess Bonna decided to let it go for now.

By the time they reached the door to their rooms, they had arrived.

Prince Francesco was the only one residing in this building, while Princess Bonna’s quarters were in the adjacent building. However, they had something urgent to discuss.

Princess Bonna followed Prince Francesco into the room, which the guards opened for them.

The room was noticeably cool as soon as they stepped inside.

As expected, when Prince Francesco and Princess Bonna decided to stay in a foreign country for a long time, the Shalowa royal family allowed them to bring some magical devices to ensure a smooth daily life.

One of these devices, a large silver basin, was enchanted with the spells “Fog Generation” and “Wind Manipulation.” It constantly emitted a white, mist-like fog, and a pleasant breeze blew through it.

While it couldn’t provide the dramatic coolness of the air conditioner Zenshiro had brought, it still created a refreshing environment similar to “the shade of a tree by a stream.”

The prince and princess, freed from the unfamiliar heat, let out a sigh of relief and sat down in chairs facing each other.

The chairs and table, made of wood and vines, were all products of the Kingdom of Carp. While they weren’t uncomfortable, there was still a sense of unfamiliarity.

Shifting his position on the chair, Prince Francesco spoke.

“Phew, it’s cool. Sorry, Bonna. But, I don’t think there’s any need to get so worked up. After all, Father (the First Prince) and Grandfather (the current king) both said, ‘If it means getting the gem, you can tell everything.’”

“The First Prince and the King said, ‘Ultimately, obtaining the gem takes priority. In the worst case, even a leak of secrets is unavoidable.’ No one said it was acceptable to abandon all secrets and adopt an unguarded strategy.”

Princess Bonna corrected Prince Francesco’s conveniently altered memory in a serious tone.

But the blonde prince was undeterred.

“That’s a naive view, Bonna. You underestimate Father and Grandfather’s understanding of me. Since they gave me permission to reveal secrets, they must have been prepared for me to reveal everything immediately.

After all, I’m not smart enough to remember all the fine details. Father and Grandfather understand that very well.”

Contrasting with Prince Francesco’s chest-thumping, Princess Bonna slumped her shoulders.

“Your Highness... That’s not something to be proud of.”

Enduring a dull pain in her head, Princess Bonna still pointed out the issue in a thin voice.

What came to mind was the scene when she was entrusted with the role of chaperone by the king and the First Prince of her home country.

When she accepted the role, she was offered an unexpectedly large budget. At the time, she was thrilled by the trust placed in her for such an important mission, but perhaps that large budget was just an advance “annoyance fee”?

While Princess Bonna harbored this suspicion, Prince Francesco maintained his cheerful smile.

“Don’t worry, don’t worry. By the way, Bonna, look at this. It’s a gift from Emperor Zenshiro. Isn’t it nice?”

He removed the red cloth covering the bottle of distilled liquor on the table.

As expected, Princess Bonna’s eyes widened, and she leaned forward over the table. The chair she was sitting on made an impolite noise as she stood up, but she didn’t seem to notice or care.

“You can pick it up, but be careful. Emperor Zenshiro said it’s very fragile. Hey, are you listening, Bonna?”

“...”

With a bright, eager look in her eyes, Princess Bonna reached for the whiskey bottle without responding to Prince Francesco. She held it firmly with both hands, apparently taking his words to heart to avoid dropping or tipping it over.

Pulling the bottle to her side and sitting back down, Princess Bonna fixed her gaze on it as if she couldn’t bear to blink.

“Beautiful... What a magnificent piece. Is the material the same as that transparent gem? And the patterns on the surface, the uniformity of the grooves, everything is perfectly even. There’s no visible distortion. How did they make it like this?”

“Hey, Bonna? Remember, this is a gift from Emperor Zenshiro. It’s not yours.”

Holding the whiskey bottle so tightly that Zenshiro worried it might warm up, Prince Francesco called out to her from across the table.

“Prince Francesco!”

“Y-Yes, what is it?”

“Can I have it?”

It was a predictable request