“I apologize,” Brad said. “I hadn’t been thinking that far ahead.”
“Don’t worry about it.” Chris waved his apology aside. “Your job is to protect Deir. I know that gathering information that she can’t gather herself is also part of your job. The way I went about things was flawed and that was what led to Deir being so wary of me. That was a failure on my own part.”
“Besides, even if brother is harsh to the servants, he’s always kind to Deir,” Alan pointed out. “Actually, he likes Deir so much that it starts to get creepy sometimes. Why were you so worried?”
“You’re one to talk,” Chris said. “It’s because you haven’t told her anything either that she’s just as wary around you.”
“Me too? Why?”
How had a six-year-old been able to keep up with this conversation? That was just weird. Alan seemed normal when around the anomaly that was Chris, but when you considered him on his own, he was someone worth keeping an eye on too, just in a different way.
What the hell kind of brothers do I have? Was there some crazy gene in our blood? Did this world even know what genes were yet? Should I be asking if there was something weird with my father’s sperm instead?
Wait, never mind. That isn’t something a lady should say, let alone someone of my age.
“Deir, are you listening?” Alan called, snapping me out of my thoughts.
“Yes.”
“I don’t quite understand what reason you have to be wary of me. What is the problem?”
The problem is that I still have my memories of my previous life. You both are just so smart that I’m not confident I can keep it hidden. That’s why I didn’t want to have a conversation like this with you.
Like hell could I just say that!
“We were actually curious about that too, young miss.”
“Right. It’s clear it would be much better to have these two as your allies.”
Now even Rex and Brad were speaking up.
Huh? So you don’t mind if I just blurt it out? Shall I get it all off my chest, then?
“Don’t tell me...” Upon my silence, Chris made his own suggestion. “You’re after the title of margrave?”
Brad and Rex turned to me wide-eyed, while Alan tilted his head a little as he stared at me.
“The title?” I’d barely registered what Chris had said, so I could only stare at him in confusion.
Yep, that is the face of an angel. He’s a total pretty boy.
“I was just wondering if you were wanting to become father’s successor instead of me.”
“Huh? Wait, what?!” It had finally clicked.
“Oh? Am I wrong?”
“Yes, you are absolutely, positively, completely wrong!” I said. “Besides, I’m a girl!”
“Yes, and the empress is a woman,” Chris pointed out. “Women are allowed to take official titles in Azelia, you know?”
“I have absolutely no desire to do so!”
“Really? I think you would handle the work perfectly fine. I would be more than willing to pass the title on to you if you wanted.”
What are you saying, kid?! What you’re suggesting is so wild that even Brad and Rex are stuck with their mouths open in shock!
“Please don’t shove all that trouble onto me!”
“Trouble...” Chris repeated slowly.
“All I have to do is look at father to see how busy a margrave is. Not only are there piles of desk work, but he also has to deal with all the annoying nobles and even worry about our harvests. There’s no way—I have no desire to take on a job with so much responsibility.”
“I’ll have to take on that work next, you know,” Chris said.
“Then thank you for your service!”
“Aww, but I was considering becoming a chancellor or foreign minister.”
“Oh, becoming a foreign minister sounds good,” I said. “I want to travel abroad.”
“Then how about we have Alan succeed our father and we go on a trip together?” Chris suggested.
“Hey! Travel and the succession have nothing to do with each other!” Alan objected.
See? He’s still keeping up with the conversation perfectly fine. Rather, my valets were the ones struggling.
“Hmm. Well, if it’s not that, then I can’t think of any other reason you should be wary of us,” Chris concluded.
“Um, I’d like to ask about what you wanted to discuss in terms of the position I’m in,” I said instead of answering his implied question.
“Your cuteness by itself is enough to turn you into a target,” he explained. “When you add in the fact that you’re smart, hold spirits of all elements, and even have your own spirit beasts... I mean, all of that alone is pretty incredible, right?”
“I’m not so sure about that...”
“Ahh... I guess it would be hard to notice while stuck inside the castle. Father is trying to keep you out of the public eye as much as possible, but we’re a resort location, and when you reach school age, you’ll have to meet a lot of children from different domains directly.”
I’d have to meet any guests that came over the summer too. And once I went to school, I’d probably be spending even more time around nobles my own age, though I wouldn’t know for sure until I got there.
“Foreign royals also come here as exchange students.”
Seriously? It was that prestigious of an academy? If we’re talking royals plural, how many of them are there?
“You should be prepared for a lot of people to start trying to get their hands on you in the coming years.”
“Isn’t that a bit of an exaggeration?” I cocked my head at him.
“Why would it be?” Chris asked. “You could easily destroy a whole country if you wanted to.”
I blinked at him. “What?”
“Blame that Spirit King over there.”
I turned to where Chris was looking, and standing behind me was the Spirit King, laughing away as though this were all very fun for him.
(What a terrible way to put it. Were you not the one to recommend she accept?)