67. Bud

Hello from the airport. Guess who got told the day after I got back from a long weekend to book a flight so I could touch down with the client at 6pm today? lmao if you guessed this guy, yeah.

Sorry for the major delays, but I’m sure ya’ll have heard about all the layoffs and everything. Fortunately I squeaked by, but it does mean I now have to do the work that uh, others used to do, and now I also fly out Sundays fly back in Thursday at midnight or Friday morning. Sundays used to be my usual translating time, but uh, as you can imagine, work has significantly impacted that.

“It’s been back to back business trips all of a sudden, and frankly I don’t know how some people do it as I have some coworkers that fly out Sunday evenings and fly back in Fridays.”
— someone who was tempting fate last chapter lol

Anyways, thanks for hanging on. Trying to figure out a new “travel translating” set up so we can finish this thing this year, at least.

---

It was an act of spontaneity.
There was no one in the classroom after school, and Petra, her maid, was waiting at the entrance, so there was no need to worry about someone accidentally walking in. Bathed in the spring sunlight, the classroom felt like a space all to herself.
Standing in front of her desk, she turned around to look at the seat that was two spaces diagonally behind her own. There was the seat of a young man in her class, who was an apprentice gardener at her house. Being quite tall, he had no choice but to sit at the very back.
She wondered what the view would be like from his seat.
Carrying only the book she was planning to read, she stepped to the very back seat, with her school bag still hanging next to her. Then, knowing that no one was there, Lydia checked her surroundings just to be sure, and quietly sat down in that seat.
Even though the desks and chairs were exactly the same, Lydia felt nervous about sitting in a seat other than her assigned one, as if she was doing something wrong. But even as her heart beat faster from the tension, she also felt a sense of accomplishment for having managed to do it.
Looking at the classroom from his seat, she can see the whole picture. The classroom is used for morning and closing assemblies and for required subjects. She can’t take all of her classes with him, but she’s lucky to be able to take some classes in the same classroom. He was supposed to be a senior, after all.
From his seat, she looks over at her own seat. He’s probably a little taller, but the fact that she’s in his line of sight on a daily basis seems strange to Lydia. Before she enrolled, Lydia had more opportunities to stare at his back than anything else.
During class, she would occasionally glance at the window to see how he was doing, and her eyes would soften with joy. The schoolyard that other students would get used to seeing after a few days would probably never get old for him. He takes his classes seriously, but at those moments she realizes just how much of a garden fanatic he is.
Even now, he’s not here; he’s helping the school gardeners.
Lydia smiles at him as usual and opens her book. There was a bookmark tucked into the book she was reading. A pressed four-leaf clover bookmark.
It must have been made from hard paper, but it was already very worn out. The green of the four-leaf clover had also decayed considerably. That’s understandable, since it was made ten years ago.
Lydia lowered her eyes to the four-leaf clover that had been created with his own steps.
Since then, has she been walking down the right path in life? Could she be someone worthy of her family, friends, and those who supported her? The question suddenly arose in her mind, and she immediately nodded inwardly.
Looking at her, he would laugh, saying she looked cool.
That was the answer.
The highest compliment from him, even if she couldn’t be happy about it, was a sure guarantee. If she was a coward, he would surely notice before anyone else. So, it would be okay.
Although she didn’t appreciate the compliment, those proud, copper-red eyes and smiling face were one thing Lydia didn’t want to lose. So she was determined to keep trying her best.
Without realizing it, Lydia found herself smiling naturally.
Her eyes followed the words and she turned the pages.
Savoring the quiet, peaceful time, Lydia began to become immersed in the world of the book. Enthralled by the story, Lydia didn’t notice that the warmth of the sunlight was gradually inviting her to a drowsy sleep.

---

At first, she thought it was the warmth of the sunlight.
But then, as she felt a hand slowly sliding over her hair and caressing her head, Lydia noticed. Half asleep, the comfort made her consider dozing off again. She didn’t even know when she’d fallen asleep, or how long she’d been asleep for. So it would be better if she slept a little longer.
Lydia knew these palms. Unlike before, it felt good to be caressed by those large hands that wrapped around her head. Even though they are rough, they stroked her gently and carefully, as if they were touching something fragile, so it tickles a little.
When she flinches just a little from the tickle, the sensation of his palm disappears. She cannot shake the feeling of loss. If he left her because she flinched, she regrets that she should have just endured the sensation.
Just as she was thinking this, Lydia realizes that she has fallen asleep without realizing it. Unable to open her eyelids, she tries to remember what she did just before she fell asleep. Where was she, and what was she doing?
She remembers that she was reading in class, and wonders whether the sensation she felt earlier was a dream or reality. If it was a dream, Lydia felt ashamed, thinking that it might mean that she had some indecent desire.
Since she didn’t feel the palm of his hand again, she confirmed that it was a dream, and Lydia slowly lifted her eyes with a sense of embarrassment.

「……Dia.」

Her heart leapt in shock.
She was trying to check the time to see how long she had been asleep, but instead she buried her face in her arms. The voice of someone she thought hadn’t returned yet sounded impossible. What on earth was this?
Was she still in a dream? No, if it was a dream, it was beyond her imagination.
Because he didn’t call her by her nickname.
It was the first time she’d heard such a gentle, yet slightly heated voice.
She was very curious about the expression he used when he said it, but she was equally afraid to see it. If she saw it, would her heart be able to endure it? She was terribly unsure.
Just hearing his voice made her cheeks flush and my ears hot.
Having completely missed the chance to wake up, Lydia was in the midst of confusion. She tried to calm down, but her heart was racing. She didn’t want him to see her face, which was probably bright red.
After struggling with her own pulse for some time, she felt a light tap on her shoulder.

「Ojou, it’s time to go home.」

It was the same voice as always. It was so clear that she thought she was hallucinating.

「……what… is it…?」

Pretending to rub her eyes, she got up so that he wouldn’t see her face. The voice she managed to squeeze out was almost stammering, but he seemed to think it was because she had just woken up.
Without mentioning that she was in his seat, he collected her school bag and urged Lydia to head home. It was dusk and it was getting late, so he offered to take her to the girls’ dormitory, but she declined his offer, saying that she would use the carriage. Even so, despite Petra, her bodyguard and maid, following her, he escorted her to the carriage stand. Lydia wasn’t sure what they talked about on the way there. She took advantage of his height and kept her head down so that he wouldn’t see her face.
Even after arriving at the girls’ dormitory, she heads to her own room, still without any sense of reality. When she gets to the front of the room, Petra opens the door and invites her in. When she follows her lead and steps into her room, she hears the sound of the door slamming shut behind her.
The sound of her being cut off from the outside world snaps Lydia’s tension. Her feet relax, her center of gravity shifts backwards, and her shoulders collide with the door. Then, she collapses and sits on the carpeted floor. She covers her hot face with both hands and writhes in agony with the urge to silently scream.

「Lydia-sama, what’s wrong!?」

Noticing the strange behavior of her master, Emilia, the maid who had been waiting in the room earlier, rushes over. Confirming that her master looks unusual, Emilia glares at her colleague Petra.

「Petra, what happened while you were there.」

「Thiiiis, it’s fiiiiine, you know?」

While getting angry at her colleague, Emilia helps her master up and leads her to the bed. When Emilia tries to question her about the situation, Petra calms her down and tells her to leave Lydia’s room, saying she will explain in the waiting room. Although she is not convinced, Emilia tells Petra to call her if she needs anything and leaves with her.
Lydia, who cannot bear to have the previous conversation rehashed in front of her, is secretly grateful for Petra’s arrangement.
She wanted to be alone, so she was saved. She must be wearing a face that she cannot show to anyone.
It’s like her heart is no longer her own. It’s beating too quickly and her body is hot.
She had just been thankful for the miracle of being able to spend every day with him. The engagement has not yet been broken off, so it is enough for her to savor her modest happiness.
So why…

「Why are you doing more than I can dream of……」

She hated him for easily surpassing the hopes hidden in her dreams. She couldn’t help but want to complain to him about how he was bad for her heart. What kind of face should she have when she sees him tomorrow?
Lydia buried her face in her pillow and writhed in agony, spending the night in fear of tomorrow.

---

In the end, the next day came.
She was very nervous when she went to school, but she was surprised to see him as usual. It was only natural since he didn’t know she could hear him, but Lydia was not satisfied.
Before the morning assembly started, her friend Nicholas had come to talk to him, so Lydia was chatting with her same-sex friends, including Stephanie.
Nicholas, who was supposed to be in the grade class as him, would frequently visit him during breaks. Nicholas had been visiting the Duke Ernst family since he was a child, and there was a rumor that he was able to go to the house of the Prince’s fiance because he was treated as a person of the same sex. There was also a rumor that he was there for another reason. Rumors quickly spread throughout the school that he was the other reason. [T/N: So it’s a little ambiguous even in the raw text, but from what I understand, the rumors are that Nicholas can visit Lydia (even if she’s the prince’s fiance) as he’s essentially treated as a woman. Of course, there are other rumors that Nicholas is actually targeting Isaac, who is not explicitly named, but they refer to a “he”.]
Although Lydia warned them that a misunderstanding had arisen between them, Nicholas told her to be grateful because he was his repellent, and he said that he wouldn’t mind if Isaac hadn’t misunderstood. He prioritized spending time with his friends over clearing up the misunderstandings of the others. Since she had no intention of taking away his friends from him, Lydia couldn’t say anything more. This was especially true because he seemed to enjoy talking to Nicholas.
However, it was shocking for a young man of his generation to be able to remain calm while being hugged by Nicholas, who is more beautiful than most women, or have his arm around his shoulder. Since they are both tall, I wonder how much he realizes that people are paying attention to them from afar when they are together.

「What a pity……」

Looking in the direction of the sudden mutter, a young woman from her class who was reading at her desk had taken her eyes off her book and was looking at them. Her expression behind her glasses was flat and she didn’t look like she was regretting anything.

「Cornelia-sama, what’s wrong?」

「No, I just thought it would be a great situation in a story.」

「Is that so……」

Cornelia answered Lydia’s question without hesitation as she adjusted her glasses. However, Lydia didn’t understand her intentions and could only nod vaguely.
Hagen, the teacher, came into the classroom for morning assembly, so they couldn’t continue the conversation any further.
As far as Lydia could remember, Cornelia only attended tea parties to a minimum extent, so there were few opportunities to talk. This time there was no point of conversation, but now that they were in the same class, she thought it would be an opportunity to get to know her better.
After that, Nicholas came to visit and there was almost no opportunity to talk to him until the lunch break. While she felt lucky as she wasn’t mentally prepared, she also felt resentful of Nicholas who spoke to him so casually.

「Miss Lydia, Miss Stephanie, sorry to keep you waiting.」

「Roy-sama.」

「No, it’s fine.」

Roy, the first prince of this country, came to pick up Lydia and the others. He’s here to have lunch with them. Until Stephanie, who has no attribute, decides which attribute she will have, they will be eating lunch together on days when there are classes, so that they can get to know each other.

「And you too, Isaac.」

「I understand.」

Seeing that dazzling smile, Isaac also called out. He replied simply, but it seemed to those around him that he was reluctant, but it was only because he was enduring the brightness of Roy and he didn’t like using honorifics with Roy. Only Lydia and Roy knew about it.
Since Lydia and Roy’s engagement is still ongoing, for the sake of appearances, it is necessary to have not only Stephanie but also Isaac, who is a boy, present, and it is a mixed-gender event. At first, she suggested that Tordelise and Zaskia also attend, but they refused, saying that they would be nervous around Roy.

「It’s more comfortable to eat with Nico.」

「Don’t say that. It’s for Miss Lydia’s sake.」

When Roy urged him to be patient with a forced smile, Isaac grumbled, saying he knew.
Because there was a risk of magical interference with Stephanie that was not of the light attribute, Roy did not bring Jeremias and Bernhard, and Isaac could not invite Nicholas.

“You don’t like eating with me?”

“Leo is just a pain, but I’m happy to be with you, Ojou.”

“I’m sorry I couldn’t invite Nico-chan, because of my troublesome constitution.”

“No, that’s why Leo is the troublesome one, and you don’t have to worry about Vitting.”

They head to the dining hall while exchanging such casual words. Prince Roy is there, keeping his distance, and he keeps his voice down, so there’s no need to worry about being heard by the people around.
After arriving at the dining hall and securing a seat, Isaac and Roy confirm what Lydia and the other women want to eat, then go to order. In the dining hall, it’s a format where you go to get your own food. Most nobles who have servants send their servants to get their food, but Roy goes to get his own food himself, happily saying that he can only do this when he’s a student. So, although Stephanie was embarrassed at first, she got used to it.
Lydia and Stephanie chat until the boys return.

「Um, Dia-sama.」

「What is it?」

「I’ve always wanted to ask you, but is Isaac that same Isaac?」

Lydia was shaken and at a loss for words when she heard Stephanie’s question. It was a clear affirmation.
At the entrance ceremony, Stephanie was overwhelmed by what had happened to her, but later she realized that Isaac’s name sounded familiar. As they interacted, she learned that he was an apprentice gardener at the Ernst family home, and remembered that it was the name of the man Lydia loved.

「I’m glad we were in the same class.」

「But, the classes are optional, so we can’t be together forever… and Nicholas-sama is here too.」

「But you were so disappointed when Isaac might have to stay at the mansion, weren’t you?」

「That’s…」

Until Lydia was informed that Isaac had missed the magical power test, she was sad that she could only be by his side until he enrolled. Stephanie remembers well how happy she was when she found out she could enter the school with him as her classmate.
Even now, the way she was shy and stammering was so cute. Stephanie couldn’t help but smile.

「For Dia-sama’s sake, I think I should accept His Highness’ offer.」

「You can’t do that.」

Though it was said half-jokingly, Stephanie was surprised when Lydia strongly disagreed. Lydia took her hand and looked straight into her eyes.

「You shouldn’t decide this matter for someone else. You should make the decision for Fanny. I support Roy, but I won’t forgive anyone who ignores Fanny’s wishes.」

「Dia-sama……」

Stephanie opened her eyes wide when Lydia told her that she wanted him to take care of her future.
She never knew it would be so nice to have a friend wish her happiness. Stephanie blushed with joy.

「Thank you so much. I really like you, Dia-sama.」

「Me as well.」

As Lydia smiled back, Roy and the others returned with trays of food in both hands.

「Miss Lydia, you’re cunning in trying to woo her first.」

「Oh my, the early bad catches the worm.」

「My biggest rival in love is Miss Lydia, isn’t it?」

Lydia smiled fearlessly, while Roy smiled awkwardly.
Stephanie was embarrassed to be the object of their fight over each other’s fiancées, and Isaac was astonished at how strange the fiancées really were.
With her consent, it had been announced to the students of the school that Stephanie possesses magical powers without any attributes. It was also a well-known fact that she needed to interact with Roy in order to lean towards the light attribute, as per the country’s wishes. For that reason, she was rumored to be the Colorless Girl, and was the center of attention.
From the outside, the situation of a fiancé becoming close to someone of the opposite sex seems like a scene of chaos. But what was the reality? Rather, the fiancées were fighting over the intruder. Isaac realized that there was a considerable gap between the perceptions of the students watching from afar and Isaac, who knew the real situation.
Roy sat in front of Lydia, and Isaac sat in front of Stephanie. It was a position that would maintain the dignity of his fiancé while making Isaac look as unattractive as possible.

「Geez, even Roy-sama treats me like a rival.」

「Huh? There was someone else?」

「Ah, I’m sorry about that time.」

Seeing Isaac immediately apologise, Roy realised the other person. Seeing his fiancée smile and say that he had only made himself look skinny on purpose and that he had already received the apology, Roy felt that they were having fun. Although he had had the opportunity to meet each of them, there were few opportunities to talk together. Since entering the school, it was good to know what Lydia was like when she spoke to him.

「So, how can I win over Miss Stephanie?」 [T/N: Raw is ambiguous, but Roy is asking this to Stephanie.]

「Hae!? That’s, well, um…」

「I think I’m fairly good looking, but do you find me attractive?」

He asked cheerfully, and Stefanie was shaken. She didn’t know what to do when someone with such dazzling looks approached her. How many times had she thought the first confession was a lie?

「……I’ll tell you by myself.」

「It seems that status and fame aren’t attractive to her. All I have left to sell is this.」

It was true that he was incredibly good looking, but Isaac couldn’t help but half-close his eyes when he saw someone who could make such a bold statement. It was the first time he’d heard such humility as saying that all he had left was his face.

「How, I wonder?」

「Yes…… I think you look very lovely……!」

「Is that to your taste?」

「~~yhesh.」 [T/N: Raw is “hyai”, stammering/slurring of “hai” for yes.]

After getting Stephanie’s word, Roy was delighted with a bright smile.
Seeing the two of them interacting like that, Lydia felt that her friend was being pressured and bullied while her fiancee was merely smiling, and she realized that Isaac had a violent side to him as a handsome man. Lydia and the others couldn’t help but sympathize with Stephanie.

「Roy-sama, please go easy on her.」

「I’m also desperate. I’m sorry, Miss Stephanie.」

「No, it’s fine…」

Seeing Roy apologizing with a dazzling smile, Lydia felt that he was telling the truth.
It doesn’t seem like it, but he must be really desperate. They’re in different grades, so there aren’t many opportunities to meet. As the student council president, he would have more opportunities to meet if he appointed her as a student council officer, but he respects her wishes and doesn’t do that. If he wants her to look at him in the limited time he has, he probably doesn’t have the time.
Lydia began to feel that maybe it would be okay to turn a blind eye to the fact that he was a little out of control.
After the meal, when everyone was calming down after drinking tea, Roy asked a question.

「I’d like to hear your opinion. What do you think we should do to increase the measurement rate of commoners?」

It’s become easier to find people with a certain amount of magical power at the hydrangea competition, but that doesn’t mean we can identify all those who have enough magical power to enter the academy.
There are some people who give up on their own abilities and don’t take the magical power test. No matter how many methods there are to measure pure magical power that doesn’t depend on attributes, it’s meaningless if people don’t take it. Roy felt that this was a future issue.
Currently in the room were Lydia, a noble, Stephanie, a commoner who became a noble, and Isaac, a commoner. He asked the question in the hope of hearing opinions from various angles.

「Yeah. If it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t have taken it either.」

Isaac was drinking his tea with a slurping sound, accepting the current situation. Roy could see that the women were shaken by his remark, which likely had no ulterior motives. Lydia blushed and was speechless, while Stephanie placed her hands on her flushed cheeks and looked back and forth between the two of them. Roy realized that they had probably omitted various details and summarized them, but he didn’t think their interpretation was entirely off the mark, so he stopped commenting.

「What do you think, Miss Lydia?」

「Yes, that’s right… imposing penalties on those who didn’t take the test would provoke resentment among the people, so it would be better for them to voluntarily participate in the test. I wish we had some kind of idea…」

Lydia was shaken, but when Roy asked for her opinion, she began to seriously worry.
Roy thought that she was a suitable person to be his fiancee because she didn’t just go along with him and was able to express her own opinion when asked for it. Even after the engagement was broken off, it would be a relief to have someone like her among his subjects.

「It’s simple, isn’t it?」

「That’s right.」

Lydia was worried, but Isaac and Stephanie told her there was no need to think about it. Roy was surprised by the way they said it, and his eyes widened. Is there such a revolutionary method that they can be so sure that it will be easy?
When Roy asked what they should do, the two of them answered at the same time, without any prior agreement.

「「Sweets.」」

「Sweets?」

Roy asked back at the unexpected word, and Lydia looked confused.

「If you take a magic test, you can get high-quality sweets from nobles, so everyone will go to the church.」

「That’s right. I wanted to give the sweets I ate after becoming a noble to my friends in the neighborhood.」

「Nobles donate to the church in the first place, so why not use some of that money for sweets?」

「Candy and chocolate melt depending on the season, so baked sweets might be better.」

Roy was surprised to hear the two’s opinions, which seemed like a method that could be put into practice right away.

「Is that sort of thing fine……?」

「Commoners also have self interest, so it’s easier to understand if they’re given something in kind.」

「Besides, nobles and commoners are both weak to limited edition items.」

As Roy was stunned by the two who nodded with confidence, Lydia remembered how Isaac had once wanted to participate in a hydrangea contest, lured by a year’s supply of bread, and somehow found herself convinced. To a commoner, the idea of ​​being able to eat high-quality sweets, which is a rare opportunity, must be quite appealing.
When Isaac pointed out that he was overthinking it, Roy burst into laughter.

「Haha, I see.」

The subjects of the measurement were basically teenage boys and girls, so it was a blind spot to think that their senses should be the standard. If he was racking his brains over how to convince his adult subordinates to implement the policy, he wouldn’t get the results he was looking for.
During a tour of the downtown area, he saw that a restaurant that limited the number of orders due to the ingredients and the effort required attracted customers, and a sandwich stand that was only available during lunch hours was thriving. If that were to happen, not only boys and girls but also people who had not been tested before would be able to take the test, and more accurate information would be collected.
Roy was glad that he had asked for opinions here. When he thinks only on his own, his perspective tends to be narrow. Talking to people from various positions allows him to examine things carefully, and new ideas can sometimes be born, as in this case.

「You’re so serious, talking about politics even at mealtimes.」

「His Highness seems to have a really hard time.」

Isaac found it strange that Roy seemed amused by such a topic, and Stephanie looked at him with a mixture of respect and sympathy.
Seeing their reactions, Roy made a remark that was more like an impression.

「You probably find what I do troublesome.」

Isaac nodded honestly, and Stephanie awkwardly looked away, shrugging her shoulders. Roy smiled after seeing that.

「From that, it seems that you’re reluctant to become a queen, Miss Stephanie.」

Unable to say no, Stephanie looked away and remained silent. During the sleepover with Lydia and the others, she said that she didn’t want to be a princess, so it was very awkward. Lydia, who knows her opinion, also didn’t know what to do.
If Stephanie chose to become Light attribute, a future as a queen awaited her. She didn’t find that position appealing. She couldn’t tell a lie to Roy, who was sincerely waiting for her answer, so she foolishly and honestly answered yes in silence.

「What do you two think is troublesome about being a member of the royal family?」

「What you do seems like a pain. Being the student council president is like a chore, and being a king is like playing politics because you have to constantly listen to the complaints of a lot of people, so I don’t understand why it seems so fun.」

「…Well, I’m really scared that so many people’s lives can change with my every move. I’m happy to be of help to someone, but I feel like that’s not enough.」

「Yeah. There’s probably no man who’s more troublesome to marry than me.」

Agreeing with the two’s opinion, Roy easily declared himself a bad prospect. Lydia couldn’t help but admonish him for exaggerating.

「Roy-sama, that’s going too far……」

「Miss Lydia must also feel what they’re talking about as the first prince’s fiancée, right?」

「On the other hand, you shouldn’t treat this so lightly.」

「Haha, that’s true.」

Lydia answered seriously, so Roy laughed again. Her sincerity and strong sense of responsibility make her a good friend.

「I want to have people with a sense of responsibility like you around me. That’s why I’m so blessed.」

「Ha?」

「Eh?」

Isaac and Stephanie, who only complain, tilt their heads at the misguided evaluation. They both acknowledge that Lydia is considered responsible, but there was nothing that would make them that way.

「You two have an opinion because you understand the responsibility of having power. Those who only see the glamor on the surface don’t feel fear in having power, and can’t point out the errand-working side of the people. People like you are the ones who are worthy of trust.」

Roy said that being able to correctly recognize and feel the weight of the disadvantages, rather than only seeing the advantages, is proof of a sense of responsibility. Isaac was surprised that he had rephrased it in such a positive way, and Stephanie was genuinely impressed that there was such a way of thinking.

「So, you wouldn’t be able to deal with such a heavy man without love.」

「Heh.」

「I’m relieved you like my face, at least.」

「Fueh!?」

Stephanie was confused as to when this conversation had come up. However, his features were so good that she thought he was an angel, so when he smiled directly at her, her cheeks naturally became hot. Meanwhile, Roy seemed happy that she was likely to like him again and recognize her good qualities.

「I… I’ll consider it.」

That’s all Stephanie managed to say.
Roy was smiling brightly and Stephanie was blushing and weak. Looking at the two of them, Isaac thought that Lydia had just asked him to go easy on her, and wondered if she was unaware that she was not hiding her feelings.
Lydia decided that her friend Stephanie’s worries would continue, so she decided to have her maid Katherine send her some soothing tea leaves.

---

A few days later, in the afternoon, Lydia and Roy were having tea together as engaged couples in one of the gazebos scattered around the school grounds of the Royal Magic Academy, located far from the school building and on the opposite side of the dorms.
The maid Emilia was there to prepare the tea and act as guardian, but she didn’t interfere in the conversation, so it was like they were alone. They would occasionally have a place like this to discuss things with each other when they didn’t have any elective classes.

「When do you expect this?」

「If possible, by the end of May. If they can extend it, maybe until the end of the first semester.」

「That’s… so you were desperate.」

「Nicholas is graduating this year. It wouldn’t be fair to extend the probationary period too long.」

When she checked when Stephanie’s response was scheduled to arrive, it was earlier than Lydia expected. It was hard to understand his desperation, but even he would be anxious if there was less than a month until the scheduled response deadline. Despite this, he was a little forceful, but he didn’t seem to be rushing Stephanie, which was impressive.
Roy said he could postpone it until the end of the first semester, but the country wouldn’t wait that long. It was just the maximum time Roy could negotiate for an extension. If the attribute was manifested, Stephanie would be a powerful magician, regardless of the attribute. If the rare light attribute wasn’t possible, he would have to give up early and secure a period of time with others where he could fully interfere with the attribute.
The deadline for the response in May would probably not change unless Stephanie wanted it.

「I feel this is cruel towards the two of you…」

「Really? If I don’t get enough favor from her to be prepared, then I’m just a man.」

Lydia didn’t know how to respond to Roy, who smiled without any pessimistic expression.
In the romance novels Lydia had read, there were also stories of love that was slowly cultivated over time. However, Roy, who is promised to be the future king, has no time for that. From Stephanie’s point of view, there is a good chance that the trial period for giving an answer will end before she even knows whether she likes someone she just met. Because she understands both sides, Lydia was unable to find the right words.

「I think that Roy’s sincerity has reached Fanny-sama.」

In the end, she could only express her personal opinion.

「It was deplorable, wasn’t it?」

「No, it is very sincere to reveal even the disadvantages without hiding them.」

Lydia knows very well the horror of showing her weaknesses. How many times has she been scared that she will be hated if she reveals her honest feelings, and her legs freeze up? Every time that happened, she was supported by Isaac and her family.
She was sure Roy is also a little worried about how Stephanie will feel. She may not be able to do as the people who supported her did, but she wanted to ease her friend Roy’s anxiety, even if only a little. The reason he chose to encourage her was to express his honest opinion because he felt that words of encouragement without evidence would not get through to her.

「Thank you.」

Lydia looked at him with a serious look, saying that it’s not something that just anyone can do, and Roy’s expression softened. Lydia was relieved that her message had been conveyed.

「How is it for Miss Lydia?」

「…I’ve already scolded him a few times since he enrolled.」

Seeing Lydia’s frown as if the tea she had just drunk had a bitter taste, Roy chuckled.
She felt it wasn’t endearing towards herself, but to those who knew that she was pointing it out for his own good, it was a point of merit. Roy hadn’t witnessed her scolding Isaac, but he could easily imagine that he would be smiling happily at the end.

「No progress, hm. You didn’t seem to talk much with Isaac, so I thought something had happened.」

Muttering this, Roy picked up his teacup and took a sip of tea. Lydia, who had just put her mouth to the teacup, choked on the tea she had just finished. I had no idea he had noticed that she had tried to avoid speaking to Isaac directly during lunch.
Clearing her throat, Lydia lowered her gaze.

「That’s, um…… I’m just making things awkward for myself…..」

「Miss Lydia is really good-natured. Neither of us can really go that far until we break off our engagement.」

As Lydia seemed reluctant to say anything, Roy brought up another issue, saying that one of the drawbacks was the constraints of her engagement to him. Lydia was somewhat relieved that he wouldn’t pursue the matter. She had no confidence in being able to explain the upset she felt at dusk to others.

「At times like this, it can be a bit of a hassle…」

「However, in our case, it would be even more of a hassle if we weren’t engaged.」

They both sighed at the same time.
Even though their respective loved ones knew the situation, the two of them were prone to attracting attention. Therefore, they had to maintain their relationship as fiancées to some extent for appearances. Unlike Roy, who keeps his distance and attacks through conversations where people can’t hear him, Lydia isn’t as adept at maneuvering around.
It’s true that being engaged restricts their actions, but since Roy, the first prince, and Lydia, the daughter of a duke, are both perfect in terms of status and appearance, it’s highly likely that they would have their hands full dealing with the people who flirt with them if they weren’t engaged. They probably wouldn’t have had the time to worry about love so leisurely.

「..Come to think of it, it’s strange that we’re asking for love advice.」

「Haha, that’s a bit late now. We’ve always been strange.」

「That’s true, too.」

Lydia found it strange that they, nobles and royalty, were fighting against a political marriage and trying to stick to their love, but Roy laughed, saying that it was strange that they had maintained a friendship while engaged.
After a round of laughs, Roy asked.

「Are you ready?」

When she told him she had found someone she loved, she said she wasn’t ready to involve him. Several years have passed since then, but is Lydia ready?

「……I’m tired of worrying. So, I’ll ask and prepare myself.」

Lydia answered decisively.
Lydia was tired of worrying alone before even listening to the other person’s opinion, and realized that it was because she was trying to decide everything on her own. So she decided to ask the other person’s opinion. She decided to talk it through with the other person and make a decision, and accept whatever the outcome.
Roy’s honey-colored eyes widened once, and he smiled proudly.

「Miss Lydia won’t lose her head in all of this, hm?」

「I want to walk with my own feet on the ground.」

That’s good, Roy said, laughing. How dignified she was as she carried all her past experiences.

「Rather, please worry about yourself for now.」

「Oh, I can’t worry for a friend?」

「Roy-sama.」

Lydia advised Roy to worry about himself, whose deadline was approaching, rather than about herself, who still had time. Roy tried to make fun of him, so Lydia glared at him, and he apologized.

「I’m not that anxious.」

「But if Fanny-sama doesn’t like him, then Roy-sama…」

「You don’t have to be the same as me, Miss Lydia.」

Lydia tilted her head at Roy, who smiled without any sense of anxiety, despite saying he was desperate.

「I may have already blossomed, but she hasn’t even budded yet. It’s unreasonable to try to make her bloom right now.」

There’s no way she can return the same amount of love to someone she just met. Just a little is enough. The time is short, so it’s fine if enough feelings sprout for Stephanie to be prepared.

「Just a bud is enough. She’s smart, so I’m sure she’ll be able to make up her mind then.」

All that’s left is to nurture it. He’ll only have until she graduates. That’s enough.
Lydia thought she would have to return the same amount of love to him, but Roy’s words made her realize the depth of his feelings. He fell in love at first sight, but he didn’t force her to do it.

「I believe she’ll tell me when the buds in her heart sprout.」

Roy smiled lovingly at the potted plant before it sprouted, and quietly lowered his gaze to the water in the teacup.
Seeing Roy like that, Lydia wished. May the seed of Roy’s love blossom in Stephanie’s heart.
She only wishes happiness for her two friends.

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There we go! A somewhat long chapter, if you ask me. I kinda zoned out in the midpoint of the chapter, but the start and the end were pretty cute.

4 more chapters to go, which includes the epilogue. Looks like Chapter 68 and 70 aren’t too long (maybe around this chapter’s length), but Chapter 69 looks beastly. Fingers crossed that I can get this travel set up working, because it looks like I’m going to be spending a lot more of my life on a plane.

Sorry if editing was scuffed on this one, I managed to scrounge up enough time to finish it with the Memorial Day weekend and was too exhausted to really edit it, so I did it from the airport while trying to catch my morning flight.

See you guys next time!

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