“This is butter pudding and raspberry tea that I’ve been enjoying lately. If you want anything else, just say so.”

“We can’t delay any longer.”

Lars opened his mouth, quietly facing Pelowic, who was smiling broadly.

“Your Highness must also make a decision about marriage.”

Wrinkles formed on the bridge of Pelowic’s nose as he was lifting a large spoonful of firm pudding with an extravagant spoon crafted from gold. The pudding slid down silently.

“Did you come to urge that? I thought you came to discuss the schedule for going to Freemont.”

“That is precisely it. Because Your Highness’s match is in Freemont.”

Pelowic clicked his tongue like a young boy and retorted with a deliberately furrowed brow.

“How can you be so sure? She could be somewhere else.”

“She is in Freemont. As long as Your Highness’s intention is harmony with Freemont rather than invasion.”

There was a pressure like a heavy bell toll in Lars’s quiet voice as he lifted his teacup. Pelowic raised his eyebrows without protest, and a faint sigh escaped between his teeth.

Pelowic was 26 this year, just barely past the prime age for marriage.

Many nobles of Edmus had sought to form connections with him, the future king, from early on, but using the war with Askun as an excuse, he had held out for several years.

After the war ended, he bought more time by saying that looking after the suffering citizens took priority over personal happiness. Thanks to this, the prince’s popularity among the people was quite high.

In fact, he was looking for a suitable partner due to the changing political situation with Freemont. He needed someone who could check the nobles who were persistently advocating for the invasion of Freemont, trying to use the war to create chaos and gain power in the meantime.

Following his intentions, the method Lars proposed was a marriage alliance with the Duchy of Freemont. The most important thing here was whose hand to take and when.

There was tension between Prince Leon and Freemont II over the royal authority, so whose side Pelowic took would have a significant impact on Freemont.

Prince Leon’s marriage announcement was the first step indicating that he would take active measures to inherit the throne in the future. Now Pelowic had to make a decision too.

“Is there no possibility that Freemont II will willingly abdicate the throne?”

At Pelowic’s murmur, Yanken furrowed his brow but quickly turned his head to hide his expression. Lars opened his mouth, swallowing a sigh.

“His goal is to protect the throne until his son grows up. Leon will try to take back that position before then. Conflict is unavoidable. Your Highness must choose the path that minimizes the damage Edmus will suffer from that conflict.”

In the end, it would become a fight between the Duncan family, who protected the current king, and the Heskel family, who sided with Leon. And if civil war broke out in the duchy, opinions within Edmus would also become divided about taking advantage of the situation to swallow up Freemont. Lars intended to use Pelowic’s marriage to reduce such friction.

“Well, it’s not like I have a woman I’ve given my heart to, so I should rightfully strive for the peace of the country. Who was it again?”

Pelowic tried to maintain a light expression, but it couldn’t be pleasant to have to choose the woman he would spend his life with according to political objectives. Lars answered in as calm a tone as possible.

“Carmela Talis, the second daughter of Duke Talis. The Talis ducal family is related to Queen Nagi, so Freemont II won’t easily grasp Your Highness’s intentions.”

“……Carmela Talis.”

Pelowic sighed lightly and picked up his teacup.

Despite her remarkable status, she wasn’t particularly renowned. This was because she was neither a beauty nor had a cheerful personality. Compared to her older sister, whose name had spread even to Edmus’s social circles, she was so unremarkable that one could say she didn’t stand out at all.

However, even someone like her would attend Prince Leon’s wedding. Lars’s plan was to meet her naturally there and form a connection.

“All right. I’ll do my best. Though I don’t know if she’ll like me.”

Pelowic nodded vigorously, smiling after drinking his tea. Seeing Lars smile somewhat bitterly, he asked playfully.

“Don’t you have a woman you care for, L? The ladies surely wouldn’t leave you alone. What do you think, Yanken?”

Knowing Lars wouldn’t readily answer, Pelowic turned his body. Yanken, who had just pushed a second butter pudding into his mouth, gulped it down and raised his eyebrows.

“There is a woman he meets frequently these days.”

“What? Really? Who is she? Why haven’t you told me about her?”

“Yanken.”

Seeing Pelowic’s extremely excited expression, Lars called Yanken with a growl. Pelowic hurriedly waved his hand.

“Let Yanken speak, you strict friend. At least let me hear stories like this. Nothing would make me happier than hearing that you’ve found a woman you like.”

Pelowic’s tone revealed his intimacy without restraint, showing how excited he was. Lars rubbed his furrowed face. Yanken spoke with a smirk.

“She’s a very unique woman. She talks back to the commander and even fights with him. She’s clever and bold, so even the commander doesn’t know how to stop her. Meanwhile, though the commander finds her very troublesome, he’s always curious about her news. As soon as he opens his eyes, he goes to see her……”

“Yanken.”

Feeling a chill down his spine from the gaze that seemed to say ‘if you say any more, I’ll kill you,’ Yanken obediently closed his mouth. Pelowic burst into laughter.

“Haha, I’d like to meet such a person. This has never happened before. You’ve never given your heart to anyone. Especially not to a woman.”

“Yanken was joking. She’s just a child. I occasionally check on her because she can’t discern right from wrong and might cause trouble. Even that has ended now.”

Lars spoke grumpily, having already swung the blade in his gaze a couple of times at Yanken. Still sending a fierce look towards him, he suddenly turned his head when he felt a hand gently grasping his. Pelowic was wearing a warm smile.

“I hope you find your destiny, L. I will sincerely pray for the appearance of a woman who can protect you from all the evils of the world.”

At these words, which seemed excessively sentimental, Lars couldn’t help but let out a hollow laugh. Clearing his throat and subtly pulling his hand away, he looked at Pelowic with a stern expression, putting strength into his brow.

“As you can see, I am not a child who needs someone else’s protection, Your Highness. In most cases, I would be the one protecting them.”

“We all need someone’s protection. Sometimes it can be God, love, or family.”

“All things that have no connection to me.”

Pelowic’s eyes flashed with regret as he heard Lars’s indifferent words. With a heavy expression, he soon forced himself to raise the corners of his mouth and spoke energetically.

“Don’t be afraid to let someone into your heart. That small existence might be the only spark that can save you from the coldness of the world.”

“……Is that a famous saying from Retonas? I’ll return those exact words to you.”

Lars raised one eyebrow, containing a wry smile.

“I hope Your Highness will also treat Lady Carmela with an open heart.”

Pelowic burst into laughter at the swift counterattack. He shrugged his shoulders, raising his teacup as if proposing a toast.

“Since this is also my destiny, I intend to treat her very well. So please give my regards to your one and only destiny.”

Having too much to say and thus choosing silence, Lars shook his head and reluctantly raised his teacup in response. A gentle smile spread across Pelowic’s eyes as he watched Yanken awkwardly raising his teacup as well. A peaceful afternoon was flowing by.

* * *

“The flowers have arrived!”

“Check the glasses again for stains. Look, there’s dust on the tableware too.”

Baron Bickman’s mansion, busy with preparations for the New Year’s banquet, was extremely hectic. Kirhin, who had woken up late, was sitting in the reception room drinking tea after grooming himself.

After observing the servants’ movements, he soon blinked his eyes, stood up, and began to interfere.

“Wait. That curtain color is too dark. How can you choose such a gloomy color for a New Year’s celebration?”

“Miss chose this color, so we’re not sure……”

Carrie, who was on a ladder arranging the curtains, spoke carefully. Kirhin received the dinner menu from a maid, skimmed through it, and narrowed his brow.

“Beef tartare with potatoes and sautéed pheasant are fine, but isn’t the dessert composition a bit bland? These days, it’s trendy to put more effort into desserts than the main course at parties.”

“Miss specified it that way, should we change it now?”