It’s depressing…
Kurogane and Mashiro carried me into my room and almost pushed me into bed, but somehow I convinced them.
“Lord, don’t you think you should rest?”
“Cristea, you need to sleep, okay?”
“Geez… I’m fine, alright? You are both worriers. I was just a little surprised earlier.”
Yeah, I was just surprised by my Oniisama’s confession, and my face turned red.
I’m not sick, I’m not going to fall asleep.
“Umm, Cristea-sama? Are you not feeling well…?”
Miria came back from the dining hall and looked at me with concern. I asked her to deliver the dinner to Byakko-sama’s group and Teacher Neil since Sei and I were not hungry.
Kurogane and Mashiro said they’d stay by my side, so they’re eating here now.
“It’s nothing, I’m fine.”
“However…”
Miria glanced at Kurogane and Mashiro. The two were unusually worried about me, so it raised her concern.
“I’m really fine. It’s just something happened…”
“Is that so…? Did you have any problems at the examination today?”
Well, my attributes and the glow of the magic circle was a bit more unusual than normal… no, it was quite powerful, but…
“Something happened after the examination.”
When I talked about what happened at the salon, Miria’s face crumbled.
“Cristea-sama… please forgive me. Master forbid me from speaking about it, so I couldn’t tell you about it myself…”
“It’s fine, don’t mind it. Oniisama apparently had no intentions of telling me before his graduation either. If that was the case, then I would surely found out about it one day from the rumors circulating around, so it’s better being in the known earlier than later. Miria, my throat is dry, could you make me a cup of tea?”
I hurriedly tried to distract Miria who lowered her head apologetically and asked for a cup of tea.
“Umm… so, what do you intend to do about this, Cristea-sama?”
Miria asked while handing me the cup.
“What do you mean?”
“Are you going to marry Norman-sama after graduation?”
“…! Cough, eh, m, marry?”
When I heard about marriage with Oniisama, I instantly choked.
Nono, isn’t that a bit too fast of a development!?
“Yes. You don’t like the idea of being the Crown Princess, right? And it’s not like you have someone you love, so I thought you would choose Norman-sama.”
“Umm, you see… I just found out that Oniisama was actually my cousin. I haven’t thought that far ahead.”
“Ah… of course. I was thoughtless… I apologize. However, I believe Norman-sama would be the most optimal partner for you, Cristea-sama.”
“Eh?”
“Please think about it. Norman-sama loves your cooking and understands your need for freed… ahem, your flexible thoughts, so you won’t have to worry that he will scold you or oppose you from doing what you like after the marriage. However, I don’t believe you will find the same freedom to cook if you marry into another family.”
“T, that might be true.”
Miria… she nonchalantly dissed me.
“Besides, I don’t think Master or even your Oniisama won’t approve of a half-hearted match.”
“C, certainly…”
Otousama is unwilling to betroth me even to the best husband candidate in our country, His Highness the Crown Prince Raymond.
It’s not hard to see why, though, since Otousama always had a hard time dealing with His Majesty the King, and he doesn’t want to let me be his daughter-in-law.
“However, since we are here, is there a need to force Lord into a marriage?”
“Cristea should just stay with us forever!”
Kurogane and Mashiro pouted with displeasure.
“Kurogane-sama, Mashiro-sama. Cristea-sama is a young lady of a noble family. Even though the two of you, Sacred Beasts, are here to protect her, she can’t afford not to marry.”
That’s true… Otousama and Oniisama aside, Okaasama would never allow me to remain single.
It doesn’t seem she has given up on making me the Crown Princess just yet, after all…