Tap tap!

I hit the table with my fan to quiet the commotion.

“Hey hunting dog. Keep blabbering and I’ll roughly grab your master’s hand.”

“Wh-what!”

“I’ll even interlock fingers.”

“Ugh, how cruel!”

Raul staggered backward.

Finally, some peace and quiet.

“Now then, you all understand what kind of contract Lynen and I made, right? Don’t forget to cooperate.”

“But young lady, what if someone asks why we hid the relationship?”

“Say it was my wish. That I hid it because I didn’t want to tarnish Lynen’s name.”

“Will people believe such a kind reason…?”

“……”

I couldn’t even get angry since she was genuinely worried.

“Add that I enjoyed secretly laughing at the ignorant gossips.”

“Ah, yes!”

Now you understand?

“Anyway… since we’ve made this lovers’ contract, we need your opinions.”

My voice got quieter as I felt embarrassed to say it.

“To look like natural lovers… what should we do… Starting with how we address each other, maybe…”

We definitely needed lover guidelines for the grand meeting.

Since Lynen and I had been enemies, we’d risk exposure if we showed even slight discord.

The burly maid got excited and asked.

“You mean like honey, sweetie?”

“No!”

“Absolutely not!”

Lynen and I both turned pale.

But the burly maid just smiled almost deviously and said.

“Oh my~ Young lady, really now. You’re supposed to be lovers secretly dating while acting like enemies in public, so your terms of endearment should be special!”

“…L-let’s forget about pet names. We’ll find another way.”

“For secret lovers burning with passion, they’d call each other like this—”

Ignoring my objection, the burly maid clasped her hands together and exclaimed.

“Daaaaarling!”

“Are you crazy!”

Whap whap whap whap!

I hit the burly maid’s mouth with my fan at a speed rivaling a hummingbird’s wings.

“Did your tongue get cut off? Did it? I’m an adult, not a child!”

“B-but everyone becomes like a child in front of their lover—”

“Aaagh, shut up!”

“Kyaa!”

Whap whap whap whap!!

I couldn’t stand the cringe.

Meanwhile, Lynen, feeling unwell, asked Raul.

“Raul, what’s your opinion?”

“Don’t worry, my lord. I’ll speak from thorough observation and experience.”

Raul answered confidently.

“From my observations of several imperials, lovers have special ways of speaking only to each other.”

“…Hmm, no. Never mind.”

Lynen quickly gave up hope.

But the enthusiastic hunting dog immediately launched into a demonstration.

Placing both hands on his hips.

“Raul is angwy. Hmph.”

“……”

“You think that’ll make me feel bettew? No way no way… ack.”

I threw my fan and hit Raul’s head.

Lynen must have felt the same way since he said nothing. He just buried his face in his hands.

I also held my forehead and sighed.

This is hopeless.

Lynen’s and my attendants were love-idiots just like their masters.

‘Four love-idiots putting their heads together will only produce idiocy…’

But the answer came from an unexpected person.

“I know. What people do when they get along.”

Noah, who had woken up and come looking for me, said while rubbing his eyes.

“What are you all doing anyway?”

“Ah, well…”

I explained to Noah that we were having an important discussion.

Of course, I didn’t mention the contract. I just made up that we were ‘talking about how to tell if people get along well.’

Then Noah answered lightly.

“People who really get along well smile.”

“Huh?”

“They smile while looking at each other.”

“…!”

It felt like a lightbulb of realization turned on. Is this what they call a simple answer to a difficult question?

“Smiling while looking at Lynen… I never thought of that. Since there’s nothing to smile about.”

“Same here.”

It was a solution we’d never considered.

And it was much more natural than strange pet names or ways of speaking.

“What else? What else do we need to look close?”

“Umm…”

Noah thought for a moment before answering.

“At the orphanage, kids who got along well worried about each other.”

“Worried?”

“Yeah. When someone fell or coughed, they’d ask ‘are you okay?’ And they’d also cheer each other on.”

Noah chattered on, clearly excited that all the adults were listening intently.

Oh, how cute! I pinched and stretched both of Noah’s cheeks.

“That’s really good advice. Well done.”

“…Mmhm.”

Noah, briefly surprised, grinned with his lips stretched out.

“Now then, Lynen. This makes it clear how close people act.”

I counted off on my fingers while firmly instructing.

“Three things to look close: smiling, worrying, and cheering.”

“Smiling, worrying, cheering…”

This much should make us look like lovers. Especially since we’d been such bitter enemies before.

“That shouldn’t be too difficult.”

“Good. Make sure you follow them.”

“…Are you trying to get along?”

Noah, who had been listening, asked.

I tried to smile naturally. Just hide the contract part and make something up.

“Um, yes. Actually… we made up.”

“…!”

“And decided to date.”

“H-how?”

“Well… going through an incident together… we saw each other’s good points…?”

“…!!”

Noah’s hugely widened eyes sparkled.

Looking back and forth between Lynen and me who were sweating nervously, Noah clapped like someone who had witnessed a touching true story.

[Noah’s filial piety increased by 2.]

[Noah’s filial piety increased by 2.]

[Noah’s filial piety increased by 3.]

[Current filial piety: 10]

The filial piety went up but it felt like taking damage…

Anyway, this wrapped up my political marriage issue for now.

‘There’s still one more important issue left.’

The grand meeting’s main agenda wasn’t my political marriage after all.

‘Caiman’s succession to Marquis.’

I need to stop that.

“Lynen. There’s another issue where I need you to play along.”

“What is it?”

“You said you’ve been tracking illegal magical tool dealers. Then you must have gathered quite a bit of information?”

“Not much.”

Raul brought documents at Lynen’s instruction.

As he said, there wasn’t much quantity but it was all solid information.

“What do you plan to do with this?”

“Attack Young Marquis Caiman.”

Because Caiman is the backer of the illegal magical tool organization.

This is revealed in Noah’s detective ending in ‘Marino’.

After hearing rumors that ‘Marquis Caiman Offensa is behind the illegal magical tool organization’, Noah secures testimony.

It was testimony that Caiman had been involved in the business since before becoming young Marquis.

‘Which means it’s still ongoing right now.’

Seeing my expression, Lynen didn’t probe further. Instead, he pointed out what was lacking.

“This evidence alone might not be enough. We need another collaborator who knows the organization’s internal workings.”

“Don’t worry. We have two.”

“Two…?”

One is the well-hidden secret merchant Dovion, and the other is…

Knock knock.

Speak of the devil.

“My lord. The butler from House Rotten requests a visit. He says he must see Lady Offensa.”

Sending the butler right away, seems Dietrich has some conscience after all.

I smiled sweetly at Lynen.

“Lynen. You have extra contract scrolls from earlier, right?”

* * *

The grand meeting was approaching tomorrow.

Vice Archmage Marcel looked toward the direction of Calliphe’s annex.

‘She’s been quiet since the banquet… Has she given up completely?’

He was shocked when he heard about the accident at the marriage announcement banquet.

So he hurriedly put aside his work at the magic tower and went to find Calliphe, but couldn’t meet her.

He only heard from the capable-looking head maid that she was recovering from the shock of the accident.

‘Was that magical energy I felt from the young lady really just my imagination?’

At this grand meeting, Young Marquis Caiman will officially become the heir.

Actually, the vassals loyal to House Offensa had similar inclinations as Marcel. The pride of serving under a powerful Archmage, that is.

They wanted this powerful head to continue leading the family.

That’s why the Offensa branch family wasn’t even mentioned as potential successors. It’s not that they hadn’t been considered, but the branch families had no magical talent.

‘But Young Marquis Caiman is the only disciple the Archmage personally took in. The vassals will have to acknowledge him.’

So the outcome of the grand meeting was already decided.

“Ah… My dream of seeing new magical horizons by borrowing the hand of someone greater than myself…”

There was no need to stay with the family anymore.

He planned to substitute his attendance at the grand meeting with a letter of support for Caiman.

With the condition of respecting Calliphe’s wishes until marriage, that is.

‘This is the most courtesy I can show you, young lady. Please take care.’

Just as he was about to turn back, planning to shut himself in the magic tower for good—

“Vice Archmage!”

“So you were here!”

Three unfamiliar nobles approached with quick steps.

“We’ve been looking for you everywhere.”

“Hmm… I don’t believe we’ve met?”

At Marcel’s polite observation, the nobles belatedly introduced themselves.

“We’re the knights who fought against the magical beasts at Baron Rotten’s banquet. Lady Offensa recognized us and provided high-grade potions.”