“Everyone…… is pro, probably happy just to have so, something they love back in its place.”

“……So even if it’s fake, it’s fine as long as it looks good?”

Phenelity muttered while crumpling the newspaper.

“Can that really be called love?”

Viett didn’t hear the words his wife whispered softly.

The restoration work will begin next week under the leadership of the Cochrun family. Thus, everything seemed to be proceeding smoothly…….

* * *

「<Pepe: Day 77XX since birth.>

※This regime propaganda novel may contain scenes inappropriate for children to view.

※Names of characters other than the Little Lord and family are marked as XX.

I couldn’t believe the changes happening recently. Days that felt like a dream continued.

First, a favorable article about me occupied the front page of a newspaper for the first time. Not only that, favorable views toward the Cochrun family began to emerge one by one. Suspicions toward the count family were gradually disappearing.

Even the always cynical Prime Minister XX and General XX who had always been desperate to get at me subtly changed their attitudes. In particular, General XX even bowed his head to express gratitude to me.

— Thank you. Riul Cathedral is an important place for me too.

It was only later that I heard his wife’s grave was enshrined there. (Fortunately, the cathedral’s cemetery wasn’t damaged by the bombing!)

Now when I went out on official duties outside the palace, flowers instead of eggs flew toward me.

I heard praise and encouragement instead of clamoring for my arrest. When I began helping with the cathedral restoration work, leveraging my architectural studies from my academy days, the voices of encouragement grew louder.

The royal side wanted me to just take photos for the articles and return to the palace immediately for safety, but I enjoyed the restoration work and tried to stay at the site as long as possible.

Today was no different. After seeking permission from His Majesty the King and spending the morning at the restoration site, I returned to the palace. But an unexpected face greeted me first.

— XX of the Cochrun family greets Your Highness the Crown Princess.

Father stood in the Great Hall and greeted me. I realized that Father had visited the palace, taking advantage of the slightly improved reputation of the count family.

— The count is here?

Viett immediately came down from his office upon hearing the news. The first meeting between son-in-law and father-in-law, followed by awkward greetings. I barely suppressed my laughter at the two men shaking hands with embarrassed faces.

— Have you been well?

Father turned his head toward me after hearing me trying to suppress my laughter and asked. I immediately put on an expressionless mask, not wanting to show Father my smile.

— Why are you being so formal when it doesn’t suit you?

— I’m following etiquette! There’s a status gap between His Highness and a mere count!

Father looked at me pitifully, then only after Viett tactfully left us alone did he examine my expression and ask:

— Are you still taking sedatives these days?

I calculated in my mind the increased frequency of medication since entering the palace. Come to think of it, Second Lieutenant XX said I should only use magic potions made by the royal magician.

Everyone was so preoccupied with the war that I somehow wasn’t prevented from making magic potions, but…

Since this fact was mentioned in the novel due to Father’s question, it was clear that restrictions from the royal side would soon follow.

— Father, you’re not helpful to my life!

— The feeling is mutual.

Father snorted without batting an eye at my grumbling. Just then, the chief chamberlain approached us carefully.

— Count. His Majesty has granted you an audience.

The brief conversation between father and daughter ended as Father received a summons from His Majesty the King. I headed toward His Majesty’s bedroom, keeping as far away from Father as possible.

— It’s been a while, Count.

His Majesty welcomed Father more warmly than expected. Father also seemed accustomed to His Majesty’s friendly greeting, smiling politely and bowing to him.

I thought it strange that Father seemed to know His Majesty well. I thought Father had no connection with the royal family?

— You seem familiar with having an audience with His Majesty?

When I moved closer and whispered discreetly, Father snorted and ignored my question.

— The count once dedicated himself to working for the country.

His Majesty, with his sharp hearing, answered for him. I stared at him in bewilderment after his meaningful remark. His Majesty gazed at me quietly before adding with a slight smile:

— I’m talking about his time serving in the military. You wait outside for a moment.

Then he pointed to the door.

But Father’s military service period wasn’t very long…? I left the bedroom, tilting my head in confusion.」

* * *

It’s a joyous thing that his wife began receiving the love and respect of the citizens. But contrary to that, Viett continued to maintain the worst reputation as the stuttering king’s proxy.

Rumors tend to quickly snowball in size. The more frequently Viett participated in external events, the more widely rumors about his severe stuttering spread throughout Westenia.

His Highness the Crown Prince left during the airship inauguration ceremony speech, they say it happened because he was stuttering like a frightened child.

Rumors spread quickly, centered around spectators who had attended the events, and the truth became maliciously contaminated through forces unfriendly to him.

Minute’s name was invariably mentioned in the rumors. The masterpiece of the royal family versus the stuttering younger brother who only knew how to fight. Voices blaming Viett while comparing the two grew increasingly louder.

Even though Viett himself suffered the most from his stuttering that showed little improvement.

The royal side assigned several experts to him. But the treatment methods that provided no help only increased his suffering.

Some brought strange magic stones for him to hold in his mouth for long periods, while others placed him inside magic circles with complex patterns and sought help from spirits. But his body, strong against magic, repelled even their strange magical practices.

Unable to stand by, Minister Hinler brought a sorcerer from an allied country. He was an old man with white hair grown long, adorned in red silk from head to toe.

The sorcerer claimed he would demonstrate mysterious Eastern sorcery and inserted several metal needles into Viett’s earlobes and cheeks. Of course, no matter where or how deeply he inserted them, there was no effect.

“Your Highness. How is it? Do you feel any improvement?”

The sorcerer pressed the needle tips firmly around his cheekbone area, being quite bothersome. Viett, who had been enduring with a shudder, suddenly opened his eyes wide and caught sight of his ridiculous appearance reflected in the window.

Seeing needles stuck in his cheeks, forehead, and ears made his blood boil. He pulled out the needles from his face and threw them at the sorcerer.

“Damn it!”

The sorcerer, who narrowly avoided the needles, raised both arms high and shouted in triumph.

“The stuttering seems to have finally been cured!”

“He normally stutters less when he’s angry than usual.”

Minister Hinler, who had been watching the treatment, suddenly remarked.

“Damn it, ge, get out! I ha, hate the sight of you, so take these da, damn things and get out now!”

Viett stood up abruptly, pulling out and throwing the remaining needles. Startled by his fierce glare, the sorcerer hastily gathered his needles and ran outside.

“Damn it……”

Viett sat weakly on the desk and put a cigarette in his mouth. Minister Hinler carefully approached him, who was immersed in self-loathing.

“I have something important to tell you.”

Is he going to advise about stuttering treatment again? As he was about to shake his head, lacking the energy to respond, Hinler brought up an unexpected topic.

“It’s about Her Highness the Crown Princess’s medication.”

Viett stared at Minister Hinler while in the middle of lighting his cigarette.

“Before public opinion turns against the recently improved reputation, we must stop Her Highness’s private magic potion production.”

Viett looked at the minister with a thoughtful face, then nodded.

“……I’ll, I’ll consider it.”

His heart sank every time his wife downed magic potions like water. He had never seen anyone abuse sedatives like she did.

He had seen airship pilots or military vehicle drivers drink two or three bottles in succession to chase away drowsiness, but Phenelity basically drank four or five bottles at once. It was right to stop her before it became a problem.

That evening, Viett and Phenelity sat face to face for dinner after a long time. The atmosphere was warm and gentle as usual.

“How was your treatment today?”

Since Phenelity had been out at the cathedral restoration site with Rosemary all day, she hadn’t seen the sorcerer torturing him with needles. Viett grumbled, considering it fortunate that his wife hadn’t witnessed his embarrassing state.

“It, it was terrible.”

“As usual?”

“As, as usual.”

His wife looked at him with pity and gave a faint smile. He was drinking wine poured by the employees when he casually threw out a question.

“Would it be ha, hard to endure life here…… wi, without drinking sedatives?”

“……What are you talking about?”

Phenelity slowly put down the utensils in both hands with a puzzled face.

“I, I understand that standing in front of ca, cameras is burdensome. My, my great-aunt also…… always drank se, sedatives right before official occasions.”

“Sedation? I don’t take magic potions for sedation.”

This time, Viett wore a puzzled expression. Not for sedation? Come to think of it, his wife wasn’t calm at all for someone who took sedatives.

“I don’t want to talk about magic potions anymore.”

Phenelity didn’t hide her discomfort, but he raised his voice, determined to finish what he’d started.

“It, it’s against protocol for a ro, royal family member to…… privately produce magic potions. From now on, the royal magician……”

“I already sought advice from His Majesty the King about this.”

Phenelity said in a firm tone.