Outaishihi ni Nante Naritakunai!! 447

She and the Night of the Ninth Day 7

“Lidi. I understand why you’re getting angry, but there’s no point. They’re Irvine nobles, so it’s not up to us to say anything.”
“I understand that, but… they get on my nerves…!”

I knew Freed’s words were correct, but I simply couldn’t stand it. While I was trying my best to suppress my anger, Raid, who had finished her address, came to us.

“Lidi, I’m sorry for staying silent until now. The official decision was made just a while ago.”
“Raid! I don’t mind at all. I’m very happy you’re coming to Wilhelm! After all, Raid, you’re my close friend!”

I said in a stage whisper.
Raid seemed to have noticed that I raised my voice so the nobles who were badmouthing her some time ago could hear it.

“Lidi. You don’t need to worry. It’s the usual.”
“But.”
“It’s really fine. Besides, this is something I have to change myself. After coming back from studying in Wilhelm, I’ll settle down and tackle various problems. Including this. That’s why, you don’t need to worry.”
“… Got it.”

I couldn’t stay angry forever after being told all that.
I calmed my anger and forced myself to smile.

“And? Raid, what will you study?”
“Of course, about discrimination.”
“…”

Raid answered me with a serious face and again looked at me.

“You talked about that, right? When I asked about what country you wanted to create, you said you wanted to make a country with no discrimination. For now, the thing that comes to my mind is discrimination against beastmen, but I think my goal is quite close to yours. That’s why, I want to study together with you if possible. Even if there’s something I don’t understand alone, my trustworthy friend might be able to find a new answer. When I become disheartened, I want a friend on an equal footing to scold me. That’s why I want to go to Wilhelm, but… is it a bother?”
“A bother?! No way!”

I firmly grasped Raid’s hand with both of mine.
I was happy she chose me. I was incredibly happy she asked me to do our best together.

“I still have completely no idea about what to do, but let’s search for it together! And I’ll treat you to Japanese sweets! You must visit the Japanese café!”
“Yeah. Thanks, Lidi. You’re right, I have to eat Japanese sweets. I’m looking forward to more and more things.”
“Fufu, look forward to it.”

I got excited about showing Raid the Japanese café.
I also want to feed her curry and Hamburg steaks, there’s tons of places I want to show her.

“Whoa, now I’m really looking forward to it!”

Raid happily laughed after I excitedly spoke to her. Then she turned to Freed and bowed her head.

“Prince Friedrich, you too. Thank you for allowing it.”

Having been thanked by her, Freed said, “It’s nothing,” with a smile.

“You are my consort’s important friend, and she’ll be delighted to have you there. That’s what I desire.”
“Thanks, Freed.”

I thanked Freed for saying that it was for my sake. He smiled a little and told me.

“I’m just a little jealous thought. But more than that, I want you to be happy. But Lidi, do you understand?”
“Understand what… Ah…”

I tilted my head at Freed’s question and then noticed.
It’s that. Freed was saying that I shouldn’t call Raid cool.
Even though he allowed her to study in Wilhelm, that is that, this is this.
Well, it’s very much like Freed.

“It’s alright. Freed, I like you the most. That will never change.”
“Lidi, I allowed it because I understand that’s how you feel, but… fine. I can just punish you if worst comes to worst.”
“…”

The muttered punish sounded too scary.
I once again swore to myself to never call Raid cool in front of Freed. Otherwise, I have no doubt I’d go through a terrible experience.

“That’s how it is. I’ll excuse myself.”

When the King declared the end of the evening party, Raid bid farewell to me as I was shivering in fear. I hurriedly called her to stop.

“Wait a minute! Raid. Um… It’s about him.”
“Him? Ah, I see, what is it?”

I’m sure she understood what I meant by him. The leg that was about to move stopped.

“Listen, he perhaps won’t be in the inn anymore. Um, he said he’d go to His Highness Hendrik first thing in the morning to collect the request fee.”

While listening to me, Raid blatantly dropped her shoulders.

“I see… That’s regrettable. Wait, there’s an opportunity if I wait at Elder Brother’s place…?”
“What’s more Raid, and this is good news, he said he intends to live in Wilhelm. From his way of saying it, I guess he’ll stay there for quite a long time.”

As Raid started muttering to herself, I reported her the fresh news in a fluster.
Before I heard about her staying in Wilhelm, I’d found it a hard subject to broach, but it was easy to say now that I knew that Raid was coming.

“Really!?”

Just as I expected, Raid’s eyes sparkled. I nodded to her with a wry smile.

“Yup. So you don’t need to be impatient.”
“Thanks, Lidi. I’m grateful!”

Raid laughed with true happiness.

“Studying in Wilhelm… What an excellent decision it was!”
“You hated it so much though.”
“I was able to resolve my Elder Brother and parent’s misunderstanding, so it’s fine. Ah, I’m planning to take Ed along as well.”
“Eh…”

I froze when the unexpected name came up. Raid sweetly smiled.

“It’s natural, right? There’s no reason not to use capable people. Besides, he’s my personal guard. He not only has the peerage but also the rank of the knight, so there’s no problem as long as he’s treated like a simple guard.”

Both I and even Freed were dumbfounded by what Raid cheerfully said.
Taking that Edward with her? After all that happened?
Does Raid have nerves of steel? She’s so courageous it makes me worried.

“Is that fine? Really?”
“I told you, right? It’s okay. For him, being at my beck and call while all he can do is watch is a reward, right? Haha.”
“… Raid, you’re strong.”

It was only a few days that she was strangled, so where does her strength come from?
While I was too surprised to speak, Freed said, “That’s Lidi’s friend for you,” full of admiration. Then he asked me.

“Lidi, perhaps she――”
“… I can’t say anything.”

He must’ve guessed Raid loved Abel from our conversation. As always, his insight is so good it’s scary.
Be that as it may, it wasn’t something I could say so I was holding my tongue, when Raid laughed and said.

“It’s not really something that needs to be hidden, so it’s fine, Lidi. Yes, it’s exactly as you guess, Prince Friedrich. That’s why, I’d be grateful if you let me make some advances on him over there.”
“… I understand.”

Even though he nodded, Freed incredulously shook his head.

“… When did that happen?”
“… Well, Raid had a lot going on.”

Raid seemed okay with it being known, but I hesitated to give his name, so I spoke ambiguously. Freed perhaps understood that too, so he didn’t specifically say the name ‘Abel’.
Raid looked to have fun as she observed Freed’s bewilderment and again said, “Well then.”

“This time I’ll really excuse myself. You can withdraw at any time you like. See you, Lidi. Let’s meet before you leave tomorrow.”
“Yup. Good night.”
“Good night. Prince Friedrich, excuse me.”

Raid slightly bowed her head and left the banquet hall. Her gait was light.
Freed embraced my waist.

“Should we go too? It seems the key people have for the most part left.”
“Yup.”

So many unexpected things happened at tonight’s evening party that it felt like a roller coaster.
Wanting to quickly go back to our room and relax, I followed his lead, but since he was in an awfully good mood, there was no way Freed would just put me to bed once we returned to our room. He must’ve been licking his lips on the inside in anticipation, and on the last night I was embraced to the point of exhaustion.

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Editor: Valkyrie

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