The point that Frederica was making in light of all this was that the companions who had stuck by Sol since before he’d realized the true worth of Player were the only people who were truly priceless to him. And of those who fit that description, the most important were the childhood friends who had been with him way back in Ros Village when he had been a mere child before coming of age.
“I’d like to say that’s not the case,” Reen said slowly, “but I guess you’re right.” She and Julia had no rebuttal for Frederica’s reasoning.
“Therefore, though I am aware it is a mortifying thing to ask, I, too, wish to secure my position before the rear palace is officially established. Naturally, I will do what it takes to make that happen, but my hands are rather tied until...”
“Until I take action first, because I’m first in line?” Reen finished.
Frederica was going to do whatever it took to seize this golden opportunity. If needed, she would not hesitate to play wingman. In fact, it topped the list of the possible ways in which she hoped the situation developed.
“If, as a result, Lord Sol says that he only wants you, I would still consider it a win. The rest of the rear palace, including Lady Eliza and myself, would be relegated to mere ornamentation for a while, but the stance that he can’t yet see girls other than his childhood friend-turned-lover as a woman would still reassure the countries and maintain Emelia’s prestige.”
From the perspective of other countries, Frederica monopolizing Sol’s favor would be a huge threat. Conversely, someone who wasn’t tied to any particular country occupying that position would allow them to relax a bit and shift toward action that focused on a few years down the road. That would lower the chances of the situation blowing up or collapsing due to hastiness.
As a girl, Frederica would be disappointed, but such a conclusion was acceptable to her too.
Julia grinned teasingly. “‘For a while,’ is it?”
Caught off guard, Frederica gasped. “Ah!”
“Nah, I agree with you,” Julia said. “Sol’s a boy too, after all. I’d like to meet an ideal guy, but I don’t get the impression he’s it.”
If Sol remained besotted with his main wife for the first year or two, that would be fine. In fact, the honeymoon period could last a whole decade, as he would still be in his twenties. Frederica and Eliza would still be in their prime, and it would be easy to prepare other girls who were suitable for him at that point.
By then, Reen would have come into her own as queen consort. Even if the idea of Sol having other women understandably upset her, she would be much more understanding and amenable by then. She might even develop some character flaws along the way, such as becoming envious of younger girls, but there was no point considering such worries now. Such troubles had plagued many other rear palaces in the past, and remedies that had worked back then could be applied in Sol’s rear palace too.
Reen shook her head. “Suddenly, I’m thinking how much more complicated this would become if Sol knew we were having this discussion.”
“It would,” Julia agreed. “He’s never had much interest in such things, even when we were in Black Tiger.”
The two sighed nostalgically. When Black Tiger had finally started gaining some recognition, Mark and Alan had immediately made a name for themselves in the red-light district, evoking obvious frowns from their female party members. Sol had accompanied them a little at first, making Reen feel rather conflicted, but he’d grown weary of it rather quickly.
Reen and Julia had secretly suspected that Sol had a go-to that he wasn’t visiting openly like Mark and Alan were. However, they’d never managed to catch him at a decisive moment. Mark and Alan had gotten really worked up about their investigation at one point, refusing to believe that Sol had no interest despite being a guy, but they’d similarly failed to produce results.
Thinking about it now, Sol had always been aware of where his companions were thanks to Player. Dodging his friends’ surveillance would have been child’s play for him. However, Reen chose not to pursue that line of thought any further.
“It’s not that I am expecting Lord Sol to suddenly develop an appetite for it,” Frederica clarified. “I would welcome it if so, but I don’t think it likely.”
“If he suddenly started laying hands on every princess he saw, it would be hilarious.” Julia chuckled. “But yes, I can see how that would put your position at risk.”
“Exactly. That is why I am the only one being backed into a corner. Lady Reen and Lady Julia, your positions are unshakable and will remain so. Therefore, my request to Lady Reen is highly inappropriate, but I am making it nonetheless.”
Though she was intentionally skirting the motives derived from her position as royalty and someone whose actions would dictate whether Emelia would sink or float, there was no falsehood in what she said. It was good enough for her if Reen truly was willing to accept her and Eliza becoming Sol’s concubines as a necessary evil.
“But, so, I, um, seduce him? That would really resolve everything? Really?”
It wasn’t breaking news, but Reen was almost as much of a wimp as Sol was.
“After seeing Lord Sol’s reaction at the Santeshesel, I can say so with certainty. You saw for yourself, did you not?”
“I-I did, but still...”
Even in Frederica’s eyes as the much-lauded Lilium dei Regnum, Reen was undeniably attractive. Her confidence levels aside, there was no doubt that Sol had feelings for her. The reason their relationship had yet to make progress this whole time was clearly because they both lacked courage.
Being a princess, Frederica had naturally had a very proper upbringing. Since she still wasn’t used to having female friends on equal standing, she had yet to develop the ability to get exasperated with Reen. If she had been just a little more familiar, her words would have been more cutting.
Understanding that what Reen needed now was a push in the back as opposed to censure that would dispirit her, Julia said helpfully, “What boys want is permission, and permission given in such an obvious way that it cannot be misinterpreted. Sol’s definitely a wimp, but given his status, I guess we can give him the benefit of the doubt and call him ‘virtuous.’”
“Give him permission? How do I do that?”
Seeing Reen still dithering, Julia decided to get specific. “Okay, look. Yes, you seduce him, and you make it as obvious as possible. Wear what you’re wearing now and hug him when you’re alone with him tonight, and that’ll do it. I think.”
At Frederica’s request, starting this night, Sol would spend the night at each of the girls’ residences in turn on weekdays, then spend the night at his own residence only on the weekends. Naturally, he was supposed to come to Reen’s place the first night—tonight.
This emergency strategy meeting had been called due to the very real concern that if this first night was allowed to pass without anything happening, the whole process would once again be delayed indefinitely. To increase her chances of success, Reen was now wearing a masterpiece that Frederica had tasked the entire costuming department of the Emelian palace with making. Though Gawain’s products had a stellar track record, it was a bit too much involving him in the nightwear of a queen consort candidate on her first night. A design passed down through the royal family had been altered with input from Frederica and Reen herself to become a negligee meant for Reen alone.
The end result looked chaste yet irresistibly tantalizing. Any man who saw it would want to stare at it forever, while at the same time, want to take it off with his own hands, given permission. It was pure temptation woven into an outfit, with its provocativeness amplified by Reen’s innocent mannerisms. She appeared invincible in it. Anyone with a greater affinity for darkness wearing it would be driven mad and die, as the saying went.