“Generally, when I’m away, the government office manages our communications, saving you the need to check with me before dealing with trivial issues. But this was a major incident, one where you disposed of your fiancée—the one we had chosen to be queen. Shouldn’t you have explained your position?”
“W-Well...” Elliott cleared his throat and feebly replied, “I meant to turn them all in later...”
“Don’t talk like a child who’s left his homework to pile up.”
The king took a document that a fourth chamberlain presented to him on a tray.
“This is a summary of all the incidents you and your people have caused since you broke your engagement and the effects they’ve had. There were so many that it took a lot of hard work to find them all.”
His subordinates had done that as well.
“If you read this, you’ll see how behind you were on your work. You would waste resources harassing Miss Rachel, and then when she struck back, you’d be in no condition to work. Again and again.”
“That’s because of Rachel!” Elliott argued.
“Rachel was almost always reacting on the fly to something you initiated. Even when she hatched some scheme herself, she directed others to carry it out, then went on reading, napping, and indulging her hobbies. It’s not fair, I’m so jealous. She was never occupied with dealing with you.”
It seemed even the king wasn’t aware that Rachel had been spending her time writing homoerotic novels.
“How much trouble do you think you caused for the rest of the palace, neglecting your duties to go after Miss Rachel?” the king asked. “Weren’t there more important things for you to be doing than trying to force a concession out of her?”
The king’s eyes narrowed.
“You lack the talent for statecraft and the ability to prioritize. That much is clear from all the reports. Do you understand how these three months of chaos you caused have inconvenienced the rest of the palace? None of the courtiers or nobility trust you in the slightest at this point.”
He flipped through the document he was holding.
“They were tormented with noise late at night on several occasions and were forced to clean up the mess left by the counterattacks you suffered. You also interrupted the knights’ schedules by using them at your own whim, and you caused Miss Evans to go on a rampage that resulted in many injuries and considerable damage to equipment. And, on top of all that, not only did the Fergusons complain, but even the houses that oppose them sent me severe condemnations of your actions. You’re not even in a position to direct policy yet, and you’ve already turned every noble faction against you? How do you even manage that?”
Trying to stop a strip show was one way of doing it.
“To be honest, I never thought you were this incompetent. Miss Rachel was chosen to be your fiancée to augment your shortcomings, but not only did you fail to seek her help, you tried to get rid of her because you didn’t like her. If you were the son of a count, I could see you marrying for love. But a king isn’t allowed that luxury.”
“F-Father...” Elliott stammered, glancing to the side. “Then, when you married mother—”
“Don’t interrupt me!” the king shouted.
“No, I was just wondering. If you didn’t marry mother for—”
“Don’t try to change the subject!”
“Right back at you!”
Once he’d forcefully ceased Elliott’s current line of questioning, the king rose from his throne.
“Both of my sons leave much to be desired as rulers. On that point, Miss Rachel—who has an awful personality but is excellent otherwise—will be indispensable to the next sovereign.”
“Whose personality are you saying is a disaster?” Rachel asked.
“Moving on!” the king loudly interjected.
Rachel tried again. “Hello? I’m asking you a question.”
“If you say you cannot take Rachel as your wife, then I will name your younger brother Raymond as the crown prince.”
“Hey! Hey!” Rachel called.
“But father!” Elliott whined.
“Would you both stop ignoring me?”
“The decision is already made,” the king declared.
“The rubies in your crown are so pretty,” Rachel said. “Maybe I’ll pluck them out and take them home with me.”
“Stop that!” The king slapped Rachel’s hand away. “Raymond! Come in here!”
Everyone turned to look at the door. As his name was called, the second prince...did not enter.
“Hm?”
The guard next to the door fidgeted awkwardly at the sudden attention and headed out into the hall to check.
“Um, His Highness hasn’t come...” the guard informed him.
“I called him in advance! Where is Raymond? Augh, why must both of my sons be like this...”
“Father, I’m right here,” Raymond called.
“Whoa! You surprised me!”
On closer inspection, a boy who looked like a younger version of Elliott was standing near the throne.
“Wh-When did you come in?!” the king asked.
“I’ve been here the whole time,” Raymond replied.
The people in the room tried to remember...
“Oh, I get the feeling he has been here.”
“Now that he mentions it, I think he’s been there all along.”
Raymond sniffed. “I see how little you all think of me...”
Here, making his first appearance, was the second prince.
“I’ve always been at court...”
This was not his first appearance, apparently.
Being a mini-Elliott, Raymond was a beautiful young boy with blond hair.
I may have to add a little boy character in the next volume of His Highness is After Me!, thought Rachel.
“Where have you been hiding him all this time?!” Rachel asked.
Surprised and dismayed by Rachel’s excitement, Raymond replied, “I haven’t been hiding at all. I always stand beside my brother during official events, but judging by the look on your face, you don’t remember me.”
“I’m sorry. Not only did I not recognize your face, I didn’t even remember you existed at all.”
“I’m impressed that you can come right out and say that about someone you really shouldn’t.”
In an attempt to regain some dignity, the king loudly cleared his throat and asked his stealthy second son, “Raymond, would you be willing to marry Rachel and inherit the throne?”
The pubescent fourteen-year-old boy responded immediately.
“Of course!” His eyes sparkled, and he thrust out his chest with pride. “Because of my older brother, I never expected to have the chance, but if that’s what you want from me, then I’ll gladly be your crown prince!”
Elliott looked at his brother in disbelief. “Raymond, you were aiming for the throne?! I thought the only good thing about you was that you don’t leave much of an impression.”
“Brother, that’s not a good thing.”
Raymond placed his hand over his heart.
“To be honest with you, I care no more for the throne than I do about tomorrow’s weather, but if it means I can marry someone as amazing as Rachel, I’ll put up with the position that comes with her!”
“That position is the important part, okay?!” the king objected, taking exception to his son’s outrageous statement.
“Buddy, you want to marry that?!” Elliott jeered, drowning his father out. “Do you have any idea what kind of hell you’re getting yourself into?!”
Raymond had a dreamy look in his eyes as he ignored his brother’s warning.
“Because I have so little presence, my personal maid forgets to serve me at teatime, and even when I call her, she ignores me. It’s taught me how exciting it is to be treated coldly by a pretty big-sister type! Rachel’s pretty, and she has big breasts, and she’s cool, and she has big breasts... She’s just the best! I want her to ignore me forever. To think, she’d forgotten I exist entirely. Ohh, she’s so marvelous!”