“Oh, is that so? So he is already married. But no matter, I do not mind being a concubine. If I manage to tie not only Shouzou, but all of you even to our royal family, then Alsbeit is almost guaranteed an entire century of peace and prosperity. Yes, this would make for a truly splendid alliance.”
The two older siblings were almost taken in, thinking something along the lines of Oh, is that how things are? However, Shouzou drew Yuna and Kana to his side, then got onto his knees so that his eyes were at the same height as Lynfil’s.
“I’m sorry, but I have no intention of taking any wife other than Silvia.”
A puzzled look came over Lynfil’s face, in response to which Shouzou smiled gently and asked, “What is it that you are in such a hurry for?”
“Are you also saying that it’s too early for me and making fun of me!?”
“I am not making fun of you. However, there is an issue even before the question of this being too early or not.”
“What problem is there in me trying to find a spouse?”
Shouzou sighed softly, then began to share a certain story. “Let me tell you the story of a certain boy and girl. The parents of the two had arranged for the two of them to marry each other. However, they did not see eye to eye at their very first meeting, and clashed very terribly. However, as they continued working together, what they came to see was not the bad parts of the other person. Rather, they came to know also the good points, the parts worthy of respect that the other person possessed.”
“Is this perhaps......”
“Eventually, they managed to overcome a great hardship by cooperating with each other. They came to acknowledge and fully accept everything about the other person. And as for now, the two of them are putting in effort nurturing their relationship of love.”
Lynfil went silent. She hung her head as if in mortification.
“With how smart and wise you are, I’m sure you already understand what I’m getting at. Marriage, and even love, is not a one-sided affair.”
“......So I have only been trying to push my own selfishness onto other people.”
Shouzou grinned in response. “If I may add, timing is also an issue.”
“Timing, you say?”
“Meeting the right person is something that happens out of the blue one day. This was so for the two people I was talking about just now. This was true for me as well. So then, what is it that you should be doing now?”
Lynfil lifted her face and looked at Shouzou with clear eyes. “To polish and prepare myself for that moment. To obtain the skill to take other people into consideration.”
Satisfied with those eyes filled with purpose, Shouzou nodded firmly, then stood up. “Well then, since you’ve come all this way, you might as well relax a while. I believe Sharlo should be back soon.”
“Ohh, An—Sharlo will be back soon, you say.”
“Is it Ani-ue-sama~?”
“Shh! That’s a secret, remember?”
With the tension gone and the atmosphere reverted to one of harmony, there stood a young man whose soul seemed to have left his body.
Shouzou walked over to him. “Normally this probably shouldn’t come from me, but, well......” He clapped a hand on Sidorias’s shoulder. “Try harder next time, young man.”
“Yes sir......”
Yuna merely looked on blankly at the two guys who seemed to be up to something, still completely clueless—