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The one and only birthday present in the world.
The one and only…
When he heard the rather touching congratulations, a small wind blew between the two like a lie.
Unlike the chilly weather in the capital, the wind blowing in Lubon, which was a little warmer, felt soft.
“Happy birthday. Thank you for being born with a national treasure level beauty and benefiting the empire widely.”
Lark, who was about to laugh along with Rubette, who was already laughing while adding a playful greeting, became speechless as his lips stiffened.
“…?”
Once again, Rubette’s appearance looked unfamiliar. Was it because she’d lost too much weight, or was it because it’d been a while since he last saw her?
No, rather than that…
He wondered if his heart had changed a little bit somewhere.
The softly fluttering red hair, the sparkling golden eyes, and even the beauty mark on her left eye…
Noticing that Rubette hadn’t changed a bit, he felt that he was the one who had changed.
‘Oh, this is dangerous.’
Thinking so, Lark grinned and took a few steps back.
“Thank you. I think I’m going to cry right now.”
“Ah… Is the watch pretty enough to make you cry?”
“Yeah. It’s the best gift I’ve ever received in my life.”
“Isn’t that bad?”
When Rubette’s eyes widened in surprise as she smiled pleasantly, Lark slipped his gaze away from her face.
‘Mm, this is really dangerous.’
Even though his eyes groping through the empty air were questionable, Rubette continued to chatter without knowing what he was thinking.
For some reason, even his ears felt blocked, so Lark couldn’t hear what Rubette was saying.
“… Your Highness!”
Lark finally regained his senses as Rubette abruptly put her face before his.
“O-Oh…”
“Are you listening to me?”
“… What did you say?”
“Wear the watch every time you come to Lubon. I’ll clean it in the studio. It is very expensive, so maintenance is important.”
“Haha… Yes, I understand.”
The distance was too close. Lark wisely took a few more steps back.
“I’m very late now, so I’ve got to go. I’ll come back next week when I have time.”
“Huh? Already?”
That face pouting in sadness looked dangerous again. Lark’s steps, which urged him to turn around, became hastier.
“Yes, I’m sorry. See you next time.”
“No, wait a minute. What’s so urgent? Didn’t you say that you had something to give me? You said you came because of that?”
“Aah.”
Lark, who was trying to escape as if running away, rubbed his forehead while exclaiming.
“That’s right.”
“What is it?”
“That… Let’s go to your villa. I have to give it there.”
“Oh, all right. The interior of the villa is beautiful. Since you’re leaving, then let’s just look around the living room for now.”
Rubette, who was so excited, naturally stood beside Lark and walked by his side.
The familiar scent carried by the wind to the tip of his nose felt dangerous again.
Lark, who stood tall while covering his eyes, let out a sigh with a smile on his face.
“What’s wrong?”
“… Nothing. Let’s go.”
***
The grand imperial chamber.
The aristocratic conference was in full swing.
“Hmm… Cough.”
“Hmm…”
The nobles were each watching Lark.
“Don’t you think he’s… bragging?” Marquis Rossel quietly asked Duke Reiger next to him.
“Mm, I think the same. We should say something, right?” Duke Reiger nodded and looked at Lark in the high seat. A brilliant bracelet studded with dozens of diamonds shone on his left wrist.
And Lark himself…
From the moment he entered the conference room, he seemed eager to show off.
“Oh, you’re here?”
As he entered the conference hall, instead of simply greeting, the crown prince frivolously put his left hand to his forehead…
“Hmm… This is a matter of some consideration.”
Throughout the meeting, he rested his chin on his left palm and made everyone’s attention focused on his sparkling left wrist.
Unless one was an idiot, they would’ve realized his intention of shouting with his whole body, ‘Look at my gorgeous bracelet!’
“Your Highness, the bracelet you wore today is very fancy and stylish.”
Delighted with Duke Reiger’s praise, Lark pretended not to know and widened his eyes.
“Oh, did you notice?”
“… Hmm.”
I’m not blind, so why can’t I see you bragging about it openly…
The cute reaction made the old nobles swallow their laughter inwardly.
“This is not a bracelet. It’s a watch.”
“A watch?”
Lark showed his wrist in front of Duke Reiger who tilted his head. The duke’s eyes widened.
Indeed, what he thought was a men’s jewelry bracelet was a watch.
It was much smaller than a portable watch and was made to be worn on the wrist. It was decorated with sparkling diamonds to make it look like an ornament.
“Is it possible to make a watch this small?” Marquis Rossel interrupted with interest.
“Production technology is constantly evolving. It’s going to be released soon, so buy one each.”
“How could Your Highness be so quick to get it first?”
“Well…” Lark, whose shoulders were raised, smiled and lightly brushed the tip of his nose. With his left hand, of course.
“Looks like you got a gift for your birthday, right?” Duke Reiger, who was watching Lark with keen eyes, asked.
What kind of person is the crown prince? Even though he was born with plenty of power and wealth, he acted reservedly. He doesn’t consciously show off his wealth, nor does he enjoy ornamentation and extravagance due to his nature.
A person like that wears expensive jewelry to the conference hall and brags about it?
It’s obvious. Duke Reiger smiled heartily.
“There seems to be someone suitable we have to meet.”
“Huh?” Lark, hesitant, cleared his throat and slightly turned his head. There was Viego at the end of his gaze. “No. It’s not like that…”
“I thought I should mention it again at this point.” Duke Reiger his chair and sat with a determined face.
“Please do not delay this agenda any longer and I hope you will proceed urgently.”
“That’s right, Your Highness. We don’t know if you have a partner, but if you have someone to interact with, you should prepare for a national marriage as soon as possible,” Marquis Rossel added coolly.
“Yes, Your Highness. Not only the crown princess but also the concubines. It’s too late. They should come and live in the imperial family as soon as possible, learn and adapt…” Duke Merlin, the head of the Merlin Duchy, also spoke.
His eldest daughter, Princess Merlin, was a woman openly discussed as having a place as a crown princess or a concubine.
“Uh, yes. It’s a little late…” Lark smiled awkwardly in the midst of the nobles, who were talking one word at a time with their eyes shining like a flock of hungry wolves.
“Not a little.”
“Yes, a lot…”
Duke Reiger’s and Marquis Rossel’s were fierce as they added.
“Phew, yes… I already had an agenda to bring to the meeting regarding national marriage.” Lark pulled himself down.
The aristocrats sitting around the table in the conference hall gathered their gazes as if they couldn’t lose, their eyes shining fiercely.
If he said something useless again about an issue he’d been putting off for a while, they were going to overturn the conference room right away.
Among the beasts in the conference hall, the rather nervous Lark slowly opened his lips.
“So…”
***
After Lark returned.
“How fascinating.”
I was looking at his ‘gift’ in the backyard of the villa.
Lark, who had come to the villa saying he had something to give, grew a tree in the backyard in a blink of an eye.
It must have been the power of Landian, the land spirit…
“Duke Diollus seems worried, so I planted a tree in his residence.”
This tree, which grew tall enough to reach my bedroom on the third floor, was not for aesthetic use. Amazingly enough, it was a substitute for a cell phone.
“The protection of the lower spirit ‘Florinus’ is at the core. It allows us to transmit sound to each other through the plants that grow on the ground,” Wishit, who was looking up at the tree next to me, said.
“Florinus?”
“From the outside, it looks like a tree planted for aesthetic reasons, but as long as Florinus’ protection is engraved on it, it’s not just a tree. To the extent permitted by the contractor, those permitted may hear and speak to each other.”
“Amazing… There’s a cell phone here, too.”
Looking at the surprised me, Wishit stuck out their tongue.
“Strictly speaking, I’m now a criminal suspect, but I can even contact outsiders on my own accord… Is the crown prince still the guy I used to know? Seeing the special treatment he gives me, will he listen if I ask him to sell the country?”
“Hmm.” I scratched my cheek lightly and asked, “By the way, wasn’t Lark’s spirit Landian, the land spirit? You say this is the power of another spirit?”
“Low spirits belong to the highest spirits. If they have the same attribute, a higher class can summon a lower class.”
“Aha!”
In short, the highest-level earth spirits can command the lower-class earth spirits.
I nodded and said calmly, “Then the Spirit King can command everyone.”
“Uhuk!” Wishit, who was bad at acting as expected, overreacted to my thoughtless words.
“Well, I guess so.”
“Ohhh, sure.”
Pretending not to know, I approached the tree and put my hand on the thick pillar.
“Didn’t you say you wanted to speak to your dad?”
“When did I?”
“You didn’t?”
“Well, but seeing the sincerity of His Highness the Crown Prince…”
I was a little confused because it was an unexpected gift, and became embarrassed when I suddenly got on the phone with my dad, whom I hadn’t seen for over a month…
“Mm… Cough, cough. I only have to speak, right? Can you hear me, Dad?”
Silence.
There was no answer.
“What is this defective product…”
I looked back at Wishit with my mouth pouting, and the leaves swayed along with the wind that suddenly blew, creating a familiar voice.
[… Rubette.]
I paused and looked back again.
“Uh…”
What was it? I didn’t have any thoughts until I heard the answer, but when I heard my dad’s voice, I felt something strange.
I didn’t know how to describe the feeling, so I just scratched my head and answered.
“Hey, this really works? Dad? Well… How have you been? Mmm… Don’t ever skip your meals, all right?”