23. Blue Sky

Posting this a few days early since I’m preparing to move after some delays. Won’t have access to my computer for two weeks, and the week after that, going to need a week to readjust to my new place and figure out any weird crap. Next chapter goes up May 13th, sorry about that. Didn’t want to leave you guys without the chapter when it’s supposed to go up, though.

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TL: Toasty
ED: Toasty

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I heard the sound of the door being knocked.

「Enter.」

While looking at official documents, Roy gives permission to enter the room. Moreover, matching him, an attendant opened the door to Roy’s office.

「Geez, Roy-onii-sama, in this kind of good weather, and you’re again looking at documents……」

「Philine.」 [T/N: A name meaning “loved one”]

At the good feeling of listening to her voice, Roy finally lifts his head and smiles. Ahead of his line of sight, is a girl who has the same golden, brilliant hair that sparkles, but she was mad and hitting him at his waist. Her hair, which ran to around her waist, was curled at the ends.

「You’re up early today.」

「What are you speaking of? I can properly wake up.」

At having that being pointed out to her with a smiling face, Philine becomes angry at the difference.

「Did you do it alone?」

「…………my attendant woke me up.」

At older brother’s additional question, Philine was at a loss for words, and reluctantly confessed. At his honest younger sister, Roy let out the sound of a chuckle. Because she was five years old, it’s bad if she doesn’t sleep properly. But, since her brother Roy woke up regularly in the morning on his own, Philine also seemed to want to wake up early.
Because she is the sister of the first prince of the Aventoroto country, Roy Leonhard von Rozenheinz, born of the same mother, their features also greatly resemble each other. The two of them, when lined up side by side, occasionally are praised as looking like paintings of angels. As for the two of them being called angels, it isn’t just the outside appearance, but the attributes they are endowed with.

「Roy-onii-sama, you’re laughing too much.」

「Even when my younger sister is sulking, she is cute, it seems.」

When she was manipulated with that kind of compliment, Philine puffed her cheeks.

「I’m sorry. So, what’s wrong?」

Philine, who more or less got an apology, intentionally brightened her facial expression and talked.

「Because the roses in the rose garden are blooming, shall we go see them together?」

「Yes.」

Delighted at her brother’s answer, she quickly went and took her brother by the hand. But, for a moment she stopped trying to pull him. When Roy tilted his head to the side, Philine hesitated and timidly let go.

「Um… can I also invite Klaus?」

At his sister’s suggestion, after his honey colored eyes opened a little, Roy forced a smile.

「I don’t mind, but when he sees me, he won’t run away?」

Philine showed she thought about that behavior a little. When the fellow brothers met, what would happen, she was seeing it in her imagination, he thinks. Furthermore, her eyebrows fell as if weakened.

「……Klaus-onii-sama will come next time.」

She didn’t seem to abandon going. At his sister’s regretful appearance, Roy becomes guilty.
His sister loves both of her brothers, but because the mothers differ, it’s confusing. Already dragged into the dispute of right on who will inherit the throne, he held a grudge against Roy. His mother’s jealousy is also not negligible, it seems.
To what extent his sister understood, he isn’t sure, but she worries about the friction between brothers. Even still, the mood quickly changes, and Philine immediately smiles, hurrying him to the rose garden. Roy was cured by that simple, innocent smile with a plot to go around the castle.
In a gazebo inside the rose garden, while drinking tea, he looks over his delighted looking sister.

「Philly, do you like roses?」

「No?」 

When he thinks she likes them because she seems to be excessively happy, at receiving a no, Roy’s eyes widen. If that’s the case, why was she so aware of the blooming of roses?

「Because roses suit my brothers, I would like for my brothers to see them together.」

Roy curiously thinks about his sister who declares the simple state of affairs. Even though his appearance suits a more showy flower, it’s secondary to him.

「Roy-onii-sama is the white one, and Klaus-onii-sama looks nice with his red hair, are both pretty……」

「And you, Philly?」

「Yes?」

「Philly will look good with any flower.」

At her smiling brother’s compliment, Philine makes a delicate facial expression.

「Roy-onii-sama, am I mistaking that for narcissism?」

「How?」

The sister he praised, how would he become a narcissist? Conversely, that she didn’t appear to be happy at being praised is strange.
At her brother’s appearance of not understanding, Philine sighs and explains.

「I like my own face. Since, if you exclude the color of my eyes, it’s the same as Roy-onii-sama’s. If my appearance is praised, by seeming to be praised by Roy-onii-sama, it seems very arrogant.」

Roy is a little surprised. He felt he was praising her, but wasn’t thinking of the degree of misunderstanding from his own appearance. He thought she was honestly delighted, but up until now, the many praises she received, in her head, were twisted, now he knew.

「Certainly, our facial features resemble each other, but Philine will have an appearance that I can’t have.」

At Roy’s words of her wanting to understand they’re different human beings, Philine tilts her head in confusion.

「For example?」

「Like how you make your cheeks skillfully swell when you pout.」

「They do not swell.」

As soon as he said that, her cheeks swelled up, as Philine objected. Like that, said Roy with a seemingly amused smile, and as her cheeks were poked, Philine pressed down on both of her cheeks with her hands. Even if she covered her cheeks with her hands, the red poked through.

「Feeling that sort of thing is cute, is that narcissism?」

「…………Roy-onii-sama doesn’t make that kind of red face.」

At hs sister who, although she groaned, recognized with those words identified she wasn’t her brother, Roy smiled with satisfaction.

「Please don’t give me praise that I don’t understand whether or not it’s praise or an insult.」

「It’s bad if Philly doesn’t obediently accept words of praise.」

Because of her brother’s pointing it out, Philine made a difficult facial expression and said no more. As expected, she’s no match for her brother. She hasn’t gotten mad or had a fight with her brother, but as for losing an argument, she has. She feels that difference and unease with how each time she only can come in second place.

「In how they respond to my praise, Lydia-sama and Philine are similar.」

As if to blame him, rather than from the bottom of her heart, at her brother who strangely compares her nickname and the name of another girl, with a twitch, Philine responds.

「……Lydia-sama is Roy-onii-sama’s fiance candidate, right?」

「Philly being interested is rare.」

Philine doesn’t like being entangled in the topic of politics, but she cares about marriages for political reasons.

「Rather, it’s rare for Roy-onii-sama. That you don’t even have talks of another fiance candidate.」

Is that the case, says Roy, tilting his head. If avoids topics that become like a scandal with his sister, naturally it would go that way.

「What kind of person Lydia-sama is, is on my mind.」

Philine is sweetly smiling. Just what expectations are in those blue pupils of her? Roy doesn’t understand. Is it normal, genuine interest? However, as for not saying she wants to meet her, he understands the position. If Lydia and his sister who only knows life inside the castle are meet, he’ll have to issue an invitation to the castle. To a person who does not know the reason, it will become the main cause for thinking it is suspicious.
Roy considers it, and then thinks about what he should say. Which reminds him, this is the first time he’s talked about his friends to his family. When he realized that reality, he became embarrassed.
Seeing Philly, who was waiting for her brother to speak, Roy smiles, and talked about his friends. In the rose garden, a feeling of relaxation passed through.
In the afternoon, there were plans to go and see Lydia. When they visited the Ernest estate, he met Lydia, and they talked about where they would go in the rose garden today. After going to the garden with her sister, Lydia guided him to a different place.

「Then, let’s go to the blue sky garden.」

「Blue sky?」

Perhaps, however, there were only plans to take her to the rose garden. It’s the season of flowers. However, after that, she suggested a different idea. At Lydia’s support, Roy is impressed.
However, is it a garden that points to the sky? It weighed a lot on Roy’s imagination.

「Huh? Ojou, why are you here?」

Because she came to the rose garden without expressing it, from the direction they traveled, the gardener’s apprentice who had turned up was a little surprised. Next to him, his father made a slight bow, and his father’s large hand also made him bow.
Lydia, who seemed to have no choice but to smile, conveyed the aim that there are no problems to their exclusive gardener with her gaze, and the boy who is a gardener’s apprentice was released from his hand.

「In addition to the rose garden of the royal castle, again, there are no roses, it seems?」

「Ah, something like that seems terrible.」

At Lydia’s words, the gardener’s apprentice understood.

「The blue sky, the maintenance is finished.」

「Just in time. I would like for Roy-sama to accompany me.」

At the gardener’s apprentice’s report, Lydia is happy. Seeing that, he also softened his facial expression.

「That’s good, huh? It’s a promenade, so excluding the candidates would be regrettable.」

「You don’t have to say anything right now!」

This time, worrying about where in the garden to show Roy, having disclosed the person by name, Lydia’s cheeks grew hot. However, Roy, having become known, rather thinks he is happy. Even with the true motive revealed, it isn’t she is trying to curry favor like the other fiance candidates, she genuinely is delighted and happy to consider him.

「I couldn’t show it to you, since I was too excited.」

「It’s truly beautiful.」

「The gardens my father makes are amazing!」

Almost at the same time, he returned glittering eyes. Seeing that, Roy’s eyes widened a bit, and as for the person who made the garden, he turned in the direction of the day after tomorrow. [TN: This isn’t figurative language or anything, it’s literally “looking towards the day after the next”. My guess was that he was thinking of the aftermath or West?]
Then, becoming amused, Roy giggles. The two who had a mutual understanding about the garden, exchanged glances with one another, asking if they said something strange.

「Afterwards should I bring something to spread out?」

「Yes, please do.」

With how there isn’t a place to sit, at the gardener’s apprentice’s proposal, Lydia nodded, and then parted ways. From where her exclusive gardener and the gardener’s apprentice carried their packed bags, there, the weeds had been pulled out.
Concerning the matter that even if a carpet was brought out, they were making the first prince of the country sit on the path, the prince themselves hid their social status, and then went to the city to observe, worrying about it is just unreasonable.
When he walks with Lydia’s guidance for some time, the width of the path narrows, and they arrive at the place where the beds of flowers run wide.
Blue nigeras, and in the middle of those azure, spread out flowers, are white Spring Snows scattered like clouds. There aren’t bricks, and bluish bantam flowers and lilac trees amount to dividers, as if reflecting the surface of water. Again, going through the middle of the path, when you walk, there’s the feeling of walking through the sky.

「This is fun, isn’t it?」

「Right?」

At Roy’s reaction, Lydia truly smiled. Rather than praising them, the arrangement of flowers appealed to the playful mood. Roy had seen the exclusive gardener of the Ernest house for the first time, but contrary to his appearance, he had a great deal of sensitivity.

「This garden is Zack’s idea.」

「Is that so?」

「Huh? Mine??」

When Roy turned around, the boy who is a gardener’s apprentice, carrying a rolled carpet, had come to this place. Somehow, the person in question doesn’t have the appearance of remembering having done it himself.

「This season, there are many flowers that are the color of the sky, Zack said it, right?」

「Eh. Are you sure?」

The boy who is a gardener’s apprentice pondered as if reaching back into his memories. As if trying to remember the corresponding memories, he was only staring.

「……with magic, you can’t fly, can you, is what I said, right?」

「Although he is our exclusive gardener, using our garden as a birthday present…… with that, I feel he is related by blood to Zack.」

Because he’s also pleased, he doesn’t mind, but Lydia let out a sigh. Had he received her words, and the boy who is a gardener’s apprentice crouched down. Those cheeks were delightfully dyed red.

「Oh crap, I’m too happy.」

Still, with the position of apprentice, he can’t engage directly in landscaping. Although there was a limit of how much it could be called a plan, it was adopted. He, who wanted to become able to do landscaping himself, was impossibly happy.

「…………Dennis is always too glad for Zack.」

The mumbled words Lydia said, somehow or another, to the boy who is a gardener’s apprentice, as if not reaching him, gave thanks to his father, enthusiastic.
Roy, while thinking this is a pleasant scene, was worried if he should celebrate his nearby birthday. As Lydia stated, outside of his parents, preparing a gift he would be happy with is a Herculean task. Then, there is the feeling he shouldn’t voluntarily accept gifts.
When he was thinking faintly on it, the boy who is a gardener’s apprentice confirmed the location with Lydia and spread the rug. His duties finished, he told Lydia that when they are finished, tells her to call out, and tries to leave.
When he was thinking about what to do, as if remembering him, he asked Roy.

「That reminds me, what does Leo know about shadows?」

「Shadow? For dancing?」

「Yes, that.」

「Wait, Zack. Why are you asking Roy-sama!?」

「Well, Ojou, no matter how much I ask, you won’t tell me, you know.」

When Roy tilted his head at the abrupt question, Lydia raised her voice in a hurry.

「Assuming it’s a partner, they practice with you, but why is Isaac asking that kind of question?」

While feeling a sense of curiosity at the contents of the question that a common person wouldn’t know, Roy honestly answered. At Roy’s answer, Lydia hit his shoulders and as if to cover herself, argues.

「That’s not it!! Only because there are a lot of chances for Zack and I to practice together, with Roy-sama, that one time like a dream, because of that, it’s difficult to imagine……」

The boy who is a gardener’s apprentice understood the reason, but worrying about Lydia’s flustered appearance, Roy, knowing the reality that dancing practice requires two people, blankly stares.
Lydia, who was arguing vehemently, became unable to endure their respective looks, and some time ago, with different meanings, her face turned red and she hung her head down. She felt no matter what she said ahead of Roy, he would say it’s fine.

「The gardeners of the Ernest house are talented, aren’t they?」

「It’s me, only because there aren’t a lot of people with heights close to you.」

At Roy hearing their thoughts, the boy who is a gardener’s apprentice reacted tiredly. Him making a bitter expression is rare, so Roy asks.

「Isaac, are you bad at dancing?」

「Bad, or rather…… I seem to make fundamental mistakes. I’m excessively critiqued. I understand well that Ojou doesn’t have confidence in it.」

「But, the times it’s pointed out are decreasing. I, rather than Zack, although I was taught before, still to this day, haven’t been praised……」

「No, I feel that Ojou has improved a lot.」

At the appearance of the two’s distant gazes while talking, to what degree was the person they are studying under criticizing them, Roy thinks.

「For me, Lydia-sama’s dancing was the best. If Isaac can keep up with Lydia-sama’s practice, it’s not bad, I think.」

「It’s because Roy-sama doesn’t know Ira-sensei……」

「Yeah.」

They intended to convey a proper estimation, but Lydia made an indescribable facial expression, at her words, the boy who is a gardener’s apprentice strongly nodded his head. Just who in the world is this Ira-sensei? He doesn’t know, but he felt a strange sense of alienation.

「However, even though on a technical level the pointing outs are decreasing, somehow there are fundamental mistakes?」

「I’m like a stagehand.」

「A stagehand?」

「I was told to stand out, but it doesn’t suit my nature, huh?」

At the boy who is a gardener’s apprentice who asked what’s the deal with that, Roy is surprised.

「That’s terrible. How can I make it inconspicuous?」

At Roy’s remark, Lydia and the boy who is a gardener’s apprentice froze.

「……for you, it’s absolutely impossible.」

「That is correct, is it not?」

At the boy who is a gardener’s apprentice who is scrutinizing his dazzling eyes, Lydia agreed. For Roy’s situation, there is too much of a reason for people to gather around him, with his general feeling and skill, there is no way he can do it.
Self-conscious of that, while regrettably thinking that, Roy couldn’t refute their opinion. Instead, a new idea came to mind.

「How about Isaac also comes to my party? In that case, because there is virtually always the public gaze, it will be easy to improve, right?」

「Ha??」

What are you saying, said the boy who is a gardener’s apprentice as he turned his gaze in curiosity towards Roy. Lydia also, at this unexpected idea, is taken aback.

「Because I haven’t decided on a fiance, rather than dance with all the candidates, until it’s decided, I was thinking I should not dance with anyone. However, for Lydia-sama who has no relatives close in age, it would cause trouble, right?」

That’s exactly right, Roy says with a smile. Because Roy himself set the precedent, this year as well, he was having a birthday party arranged for him.With his present state, he should dance equally with all of the fiance candidates, but the primary cause of arguments became the order. For the sake of avoiding this situation, if he equally didn’t dance with anyone, it’s fine.

「Roy-sama is incredibly sincere, is he not?」

「…..no, it’s only trouble, I think.」

Compared to Lydia who had an agreeing opinion, at the overbearing situation of trying to elevate himself past an employee, the boy who is a gardener’s apprentice closes his eyes.

「I understand well.」

「Roy-sama……」

At Roy who affirms it with a bright smile, after Lydia was surprised, she made an indescribable facial expression.

「Even just greeting everyone is hard work, huh?」

「It certainly seems that right, but……」

Because Lydia also has that experience, she can’t deny it. Because Roy is the prince, he greets nearly everyone in attendance. Since that’s difficult, isn’t it hard to imagine for Lydia. [T/N: Literally 「in Lydia’s imagination, it isn’t easy to do」

「Please consider it,.」

「I’ll be saved.」

「As for my opinion—」

At the feeling he wasn’t participating, the boy who is a gardener’s apprentice made a facial expression as if disagreeing from the bottom of his heart. Only accompanying her for practice and going to a place for nobles are completely different matters. Even if he acknowledges the feeling that Lydia worries about the prince as a friend, this isn’t a solution.

「It is fine if Zack does not participate, because I will ask my father. He is busy, but……」

For Roy’s birthday party, participation is required, but compared to other children’s parties which are too quick, it is difficult to ask the busy Geordo to come each time. However, because originally it was for the sake of showing her own dance improvement, not what he wanted to do. Lydia, understanding that, couldn’t pressure him anymore.
With seeing this disagreeable look on his face for the first time, Lydia felt deep down it was that unpleasant, and slumped her shoulders.
Seeing that kind of appearance from Lydia, the boy who is a gardener’s apprentice falters. He groans, worried. Then, he prepares himself for the worst.

「Ojou, when you really can’t find an attendant, don’t worry, I’ll go. Well, if you get Duke-sama’s permission.」

「It’s fine……?」

「I can’t leave Ojou alone.」

Saying that, the boy who is a gardener’s apprentice forces a smile. If Lydia gets her father’s permission, she’d be delighted. At her response, he’s relieved, and the boy who is a gardener’s apprentice softens his expression.
Roy, who was watching this series of exchanges, makes a happy seeming sound.

「You’re weak towards Lydia-sama, huh?」

「The feeling you just inserted yourself is unbelievable.」

When he points it out with a volume Lydia cannot hear, with the same volume, while making a sullen face, a complaint is returned.

「It’s the birthday present you’ll give.」

「Uwaah, that’s the most disgusting present.」

In that case, it’s fine to leave that impression, it seems, Roy felt. If they are practicing with great trouble, there was the good intention of giving a place to dance, but for him, it was close to ill will.
After the boy who is a gardener’s apprentice sighed, amazed, he added on.

「That’s the main point, huh? That sort of thing, if all you say is congratulations, it’s fine.」

Rather than say something reasonable, it’s better to say something with a congratulatory feeling, he was told. [T/N: Literally just has the particle for quoting speech so there’s nothing in here that specifically says Zack said it.]
Roy’s eyes widen. However, as someone who received many things, he felt that was the reason to only say congratulations.
As if receiving a blow to the face, Roy weaves a web of words.

「I do not know when, but happy birthday.」

「Oh, thanks.」

The boy who is a gardener’s apprentice gave his thanks while smiling that it was unbelievable he was making a sullen face just now. He sees it, this refreshing blue sky garden matches him well.

「I was overtaken by Roy-sama, wasn’t I……」

After the boy who is a gardener’s apprentice left, Lydia heartbrokenly hung her head. It seems like again, she is worried, and hasn’t given him a present yet.
Roy, understanding the situation, charmingly smiles. He’ll give advice on a present as an apology.
With the refreshing sky blue garden, Roy talks to Lydia as a friend.

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I can’t remember what chapter it was, but I swear there was a time that Zack noted that the otome game ended peacefully and that Ojou didn’t even get banished or anything when the heroine ended up with Leo. As I think on that, I’m still one hundred percent rooting for Ojou and Zack lmao, especially after this chapter

Anyways, yeah, no updates until May 13th. I have a ton of real life stuff including a biiiiiig move, and after I push this update, I am packing up my desktop and won’t have access to my translation stuff for a while. That, and I want to focus on well, moving and then setting up all of my stuff. Sorry for the delay on that front, but see you all next chapter.

If you’d like to support the website and keep it running, consider dropping by the Ko-Fi or by my Redbubble to get something out of it!

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