“Hmph, Sharka is such a worrier. Very well, perhaps it would be nice to discuss our happy future together at length with Sharka. Oh, do you remember our promise?”
For now, I understand that Elmia’s mind is a flower garden.
It seems I need to be firm.
“Promise?”
“Oh, have you forgotten already? The story about coming to my bedroom every day to give me a report. Don’t you dare forget when we return to Ortenatris.”
“Understood.”
I’ve pretty much said everything I wanted to say.
I was able to successfully improve my relationship with Elmia, and even got proposed to.
The result is excellent.
After all, I’ve gained a lovely bride candidate for the future, even if she is my sister.
(Well, to be precise, I’ll be the husband, though.)
However, there are two things that concern me.
One is that I myself am likely to have a concubine, just like my father.
You might think, “What’s with a husband saying that?” but considering that House Ortenos itself is always short of Stella-Class personnel, it’s a natural measure.
Elmia is, in a sense, a typical noble lady of the main line.
Now that she’s already set her sights on me, I have a feeling she won’t budge no matter what, unless I die.
It’s not hard to imagine what kind of reaction Elmia would show if she knew I had a concubine.
I should start running simulations now.
And the other is that my military achievement might lead my family (Nevilim) to try to push me up as the head of the family.
The fact that the foremost among them is probably my mother is a headache.
Regardless of what Elmia and I think, it’s unavoidable that there will be a temporary rift.
My actions at next month’s family head meeting will be key.
“Sharka, I’m going to take a bath now.”
“Hmm, is that so?”
Elmia calls out to me while I’m lost in thought.
It’s regrettable, but it seems our secret rendezvous is coming to an end.
“In the meantime, could you carry all these flowers to my room?”
“Huh?”
“Because these are the flowers that Sharka picked for me, right? I want to extract the fragrance and make perfume.”
Elmia licked her lips.
Before my eyes is a vast amount of Princess White Lily flowers spreading at my feet.
If she says something so endearing, I have no choice but to do it.
I wouldn’t mind being a errand boy for my lovely sister.
“O-Okay, leave it to me.”
“Thank you, I love you, Onii-sama.”
Elmia said that and kissed me.
The sensation of soft lips.
It was a complete surprise attack.
I thought I was being teased earlier, but she seems to get the kiss over with easily.
“G-Good night, Onii-sama.”
“A-Ah.”
Elmia’s face, who probably just had her first kiss, was flushed.
She even had an atmosphere of looking for an opportunity.
I didn’t understand what happened in that instant, and I blankly watched Elmia’s figure as she went down the stairs.
“So soft.”
Left alone in the flower garden, I put my finger to my lips and muttered.
That night, there was a figure of the eldest son of House Ortenos carrying a cloth wrapper and going back and forth inside the fort like a horse cart driver, or maybe not.
◇◇◇◇
The next morning, early.
“Well then, Sharka, let’s meet again in Ortenatris later.”
Elmia, escorted by me and the military officials, left the fort together with her attendant female military official.
As she left, Elmia was talking amicably with Nicoletta.
Nicoletta seems to have been recognized as a contributor to her brother’s surprise.
I’m really glad we didn’t have to say goodbye in a bad mood.
Well, from today I will be guarding Bangwall Fort.
However, I have to go to the academy in about two months, so this is only a temporary position for now.
The guardian who will enter Bangwall Fort after me is currently being selected.
After lightly using Maten (doping) on the soldiers and ordering them to repair and renovate the fort, I headed to the office.
Time passes as I exchange letters with my father and write instructions.
In the afternoon, Getrude entered the office.
She has a difficult look on her face.
“Minashiro-sama, an envoy from Naia visited earlier, so I took the liberty of detaining them.”
“What?”
We only captured Bangwall Fort yesterday.
I feel like Naia’s response is too quick.
“I have a letter addressed to Minashiro-sama, what should I do?”
Even if you ask me what to do, I think there’s nothing to do but read it, but she has a face that suggests she would tear it up if I told her to.
“…Who is the sender?”
“It’s Luna, the fifth child who inherited the blood of the filthy Naia vixen, Carlina.”
The Naia Royal Family has four sons above and one daughter below.
The fifth child means a princess, which, according to the traditions of the Kingdom of Naia, means the Crown Princess.
I can’t ignore it at my own discretion.
“Show me the letter.”
“Here it is.”
The envelope is formal, with the Naia Royal Family’s crest drawn on it.
I cautiously opened it, and several folded sheets of stationery were inserted.
It’s a cute piece of stationery with a picture of flowers that female nobles use.
Since it’s something handled by royalty, it’s probably a higher quality than that.
And the stationery smelled of—Princess White Lily.