Outaishihi ni Nante Naritakunai!! 440

He and the King of Irvine 2

◇◇◇

“You helped my son and daughter immensely yesterday. I’d like to express my gratitude too.”

When I entered the room where the King was waiting, the first thing he did was thank me.
I’d known I’d be told that, so I lightly shook my head.

“We just helped a friend. Please don’t concern yourself with it.”
“I’m relieved to hear that. If possible… don’t expose what happened yesterday.”
“Of course I won’t. Especially since Princess Ophelia is a friend of my consort. My wife wouldn’t wish for her friend to be put into an unfavorable position. We promise nothing will come out of our mouths.”

As a parent, he must’ve been afraid that what happened yesterday evening would spread. I understood that worry and knew it would alleviate his fears, so I obediently nodded.
The King fixed his eyes on me.
I felt like he had something in mind, so I tilted my head. The King said, “A friend, huh.”

“Actually, my consort came a short while ago.”
“? I see.”

When I urged him to continue while wondering why he suddenly talked about the Queen, the King made a slightly embarrassed expression.

“… You know, my consort said that my daughter and Princess Lydiana are close friends too. That she wanted to give Princess Lydiana something as thanks, but she was firmly refused, since saving a friend was something natural to Princess Lydiana. That with what little power she had, she wanted to help their friendship continue.”
“Haa…”

I didn’t understand what he was getting at. I reflexively took a peek at Alex next to me, but he was also tilting his head.
The King looked slightly hesitant, but eventually he resolutely said.

“… I’d like to accept the agreement Wilhelm offered.”
“Eh…”

For an instant, even I couldn’t react to what I was suddenly told. Alex too similarly froze.

“I was hesitant, but after my consort told me, ‘Please ensure we remain on good terms with Wilhelm for the sake of our daughter,’ I had no choice but to agree… Actually, I was hesitating because I’d received a similar offer from Sahaja, but I’ve decided to join forces with you.”
“…”

As expected, Sahaja is already moving.
The fact that he was hesitant means Sahaja offered quite favorable terms.

“To be honest, I was quite swayed, since they offered considerably attractive conditions, so it might not have been bad. But, while I am the king, I’m also a father and a husband. When my wife pleaded with me that she wanted to have a long-lasting good relationship with a country where our daughter’s important friend is, I couldn’t say no. Prince Friedrich, you can understand that feeling too, right?”
“Yes. I’m the same. I’m not confident I could refuse if my wife asked for something.”
“That’s how it is. We’re both weak to our wives.”
“Yes, however, the trouble is that it doesn’t feel unpleasant.”

When I seriously said that, the King nodded.

“Moreover, it’s rare for my wife to rely on me. When she pleads with me once in a while, I somehow feel like I have to grant her wishes. I never thought she’d ask for the agreement with Wilhelm, but… I was uncertain from the start, so I decided it’d be good to do as my wife says. Prince Friedrich, you have a good wife. Because she only wanted to be friends with our daughter, my wife acted to make that happen. It’s your victory.”
“… Thank you. Indeed, I’m proud of my wife.”
“When I heard that Prince Friedrich is infatuated with the woman he married, I couldn’t believe that Prince Friedrich was declawed by a woman, but now I can accept it. I never thought my wife would persuade me like this.”

It was exactly what I realized some time ago.
Both when Lidi obtained information that my imitation was attending masquerade balls and this time when I sensed Princess Ophelia and the Queen wanted to get closer to Lidi, it sank in how important a consort is.
The country doesn’t only revolve around men. For the first time I understood that it needs someone on their side to work normally.
And now.
Thanks to Lidi’s uncalculated actions, we’re about to make the agreement with Irvine.
Who could imagine the Queen would persuade the King before we knew it?
It was an unexpected development, but I thought it was just like Lidi.

“Besides, yesterday my daughter also pleaded with me. In order to grant her wish, it’s better if I listen to my consort. I don’t want both my daughter and wife to resent me.”
“What did Princess Ophelia ask for?”
“Aah. Actually――”

I listened to what the King told me with my eyes wide open.
Really, Lidi is something else…

“Now that it’s decided, let’s prepare the treaty. There’s no problem, right?”
“Yes, naturally.”

I nodded to the King’s words. To begin with, we were the ones who wanted the agreement. I was surprised, since I hadn’t thought it’d be possible, but I have no doubt my father will be delighted about the result.
I carefully confirmed the conditions and we both applied our seals.
The King held out his right hand.

“Prince Friedrich, I look forward to our continued cooperation.”
“It’s I who should say that.”

Of course, I strongly grasped back his hand.

◇◇◇

“… What an incredible result.”

While we were walking through the corridors after finishing the meeting with the King, Alex muttered so. I stopped walking and looked at him. He looked quite conflicted.

“I didn’t expect the matter of the agreement to go so smoothly.”

I smiled wryly as he heavily spat out those words and agreed.

“Me neither. I thought we’d at best hear that he’s positively considering it. I felt sorry for Esteemed Father since he entrusted me with it, but honestly, I thought anything beyond that would be difficult.”

The result speaks for itself though.
The agreement was signed, and Irvine officially became a friendly nation to Wilhelm. Moreover, I was even told Sahaja was moving.

“I’m as confused as I can be.”

When I unconsciously said so about this chaotic development, Alex nodded, “Seriously.”

“I still can’t believe it really got signed…”
“It’s all thanks to Lidi.”
“Exactly!”

Alex tilted his head with a serious look.

“What the hell is she doing? Or rather, she was completely unrelated this time, and yet, without realizing it, she played the most important role, what’s with that? Ain’t it strange?”
“It’s because she’s Lidi.”

I could only say that. Alex completely agreed with my words.

“Who could imagine the King’s sentiment would lean towards us thanks to the Queen’s intervention. Or rather, I’m seriously scared of Lidi since she made the Queen of Irvine act without being aware of anything. “
“She’s my wife, after all. Really, whenever Lidi gets involved, things beyond expectations happen. It’s astonishing.”
“What astonishes me the most is that things always turn out well for her. Just imagining making her my enemy makes me tremble in fear. I feel I’d suffer from one misfortune after another.”
“Lidi has great luck, so that’s natural.”

That’s my wife for you. While I was imagining Lidi’s innocent smiling face, Alex sighed.

“Great luck, or rather, tremendous luck. Say, since she married you, don’t you think that luck extends to you too?”
“… Well, that might be the case.”

Since meeting Lidi, my luck has obviously increased. It’s so clear that it’s sometimes scary.
Alex said in a trembling voice.

“If the luck is with you, there’s seriously nobody who can go against you both… You and Lidi are in a sense an invincible combination…”

Saying that, he turned to me and put a hand on my shoulders.

“Freed.”
“What?”
“Never let go of Lidi, okay? I feel that as long as she’s on your side, Wilhelm is absolutely safe. Conversely, I’m afraid of the bad luck that would befall it if she left.”

I half-seriously scowled at Alex who warned me with a serious face.

“Alex. Let me ask you one thing. Do you really think a day will come when I let go of Lidi?”

Lidi is my only, beloved mate who I’ll spend my whole life with.
No matter what happens, it’s impossible I’d let go of Lidi.
She’s all mine.
Being a prince, I don’t personally own anything, but Lidi is the one thing I can declare to be mine.

“I know. This is just for the sake of argument, but if you let go of Lidi, I’d suspect you of being an imposter. I feel like even if you lost your memory, Lidi would be the only thing you wouldn’t let go.”
“I understand that, so it’s fine, but stop saying such strange things.”
“Yes yes, I understand. What matters is that Wilhelm is safe.”

We finished with the jokes, and I looked at the treaty in Alex’s hand.

“… Well, in any case, I’m glad that everything went well. However, that means the worth of Lidi in relation to Irvine has increased tremendously… My old man will be holding his stomach again…”
“It can’t be helped. I feel sorry for the Prime Minister, but he should give up.”

I imagined the Prime Minister holding his stomach with a nervous look, but I shook off the thought right away. Alex too easily agreed with me.

“Well, that’s how it is. It’s not a bad thing, so my old man should just take stomach medicine!”

“I hope he doesn’t take it out on me!” laughed Alex.
I thought that Alex would eventually get involved in that anyway, but since I didn’t want to point that out right now, I decided to stay silent.

---

Editor: Valkyrie

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