Outaishihi ni Nante Naritakunai!! Chapter 412
The next day, I was busy running around from the morning. First, I visited Raid and asked if there was any place where I could obtain an iron plate.
“Iron plate? In other words, you want to make something?”
“Yup. I want to have an iron plate processed.”
After listening to my explanation, despite tilting her head, Raid told me about a blacksmith in the Royal Capital.
“Lidi, you can have what you talked about made there. I’m acquainted with him, so I’ll go with you.”
Apparently, she was curious about what I’d do.
I warmly welcomed help, so I went to the blacksmith together with Raid. Our escorts were as usual Cain and her guardian knight, Edward.
Freed wanted to come with us, but he seemed to have a meeting he couldn’t miss no matter what, so he entrusted me to Raid and headed to it.
Apparently, they’d be talking about importing coffee today.
Freed drank coffee that I bought as a souvenir and was surprised by how easy it was to drink as well. He said he’d take this opportunity to increase the variety and reassess the import volume.
Until now there wasn’t much demand, so not a lot was imported. But, if it’s known coffee has as many flavors as tea, the demand in Wilhelm will explode.
It seems they will adjust for that.
Since Irvine was thinking of increasing the export of coffee, its specialty, they jumped on Freed’s proposal. It seems both sides have positive outlooks.
If delicious coffee can be drunk even in Wilhelm, the range of drink choices will increase. I think it’s a very good thing.
That’s why I went out without Freed, but it finished without any particular problem.
The blacksmith I was introduced to was a very good person, and he willingly complied with my nonsensical order. Takoyaki pans have a characteristic shape, so I was prepared that I’d be told he wouldn’t make something with an unknown use, but thankfully, I could easily obtain the requested item.
“Is that really fine… The shape is, um… very strange.”
I ordered three identical pans and arranged to have them delivered to the Royal Palace, then we left the blacksmith.
While I was thinking of what I needed next, Raid said.
“I don’t know what you’re doing, but it’s too late to turn back. I’ll keep you company to the end. Please tell me if you need something else. I’ll arrange it.”
It was me who suggested all this. I couldn’t help but rely on a blacksmith, but I thought I’d prepare the takoyaki ingredients myself. I had an idea of going around street stalls and gathering what’s necessary.
“Fine. Just, there’s one condition. I’ll help with what you’re trying to do, so include me in that plan.”
I’m trying to host a takoyaki party on the beach. I very much appreciate help, but is it really alright to bring the Princess of Irvine with me?
I gave a rough explanation. When I told her that I’d feed everybody an octopus dish, Raid’s eyes sparkled.
“Sounds amazing! A dish from those devils! I’d love to take part in that plan!”
It seems there was no need to worry just because she was a princess.
Since Raid was fine with it, I stopped thinking about it any more and went around street stalls with her. I bought the necessary ingredients and had Cain and Edward carry them.
For an instant I wondered if I really should have our escorts carry luggage, but there was too much for us to carry, so well, it couldn’t be helped. Isn’t it said to use whatever you can?
On the way back to the Royal Palace with a lot of luggage, I started talking to Raid who was walking next to me.
“It’s late, but thanks for the book. I read it yesterday. It was incredibly interesting, so I read it in no time. Say, isn’t there a continuation?”
“Aah, so you’ve read it already. Thanks.”
Understanding what I wanted to say, Raid showed a smile.
Right, it was about the book she’d written that she gifted me on the day the day before yesterday.
I made time and read it yesterday.
As I heard, the story she’d written was about a romance between a man and woman. It was a fun story with sweet developments and some mystery mixed in. However, since it was the first out of two volumes, I wanted to read more.
It finished in an interesting place, so if the second volume was on sale, I wanted to buy it.
But, Raid cast down her eyes apologetically.
“The continuation is… Sorry. I’m writing it now, but the release date isn’t determined yet.”
But, her saying that she was writing it now meant I’d be able to read it soon. When I told her that I was looking forward to the release, Raid made a troubled face.
“No… I think it’s almost complete, but you know. I said it before, right? I’m in a slump, so I stopped writing for the past year.”
“Before, I used to enjoy writing every day, but now, it’s hard to even write a few letters. I want to write, and yet I can’t. Just how many times have I broken the deadline? Still, writing is my hobby. I’m struggling because I don’t want to stop.”
I couldn’t think of anything to comfort her, so I only nodded.
It’s painful to imagine not being able to do what you love for a year. It would be like me not being able to engage in my hobbies like sewing or cooking.
It seems painful beyond imagination.
“How should I put it, sorry for casually telling you that I want to read the continuation.”
“No, I’m happy to hear that you want to read the continuation. It’s reassuring to know you’re waiting for me, and if I didn’t want it, I wouldn’t have given you a book from the start. But, it might take some time. I’d be happy if you waited patiently.”
If I can read the continuation one day, I’ll wait quietly. I nodded with that feeling.
We returned to my room in the Royal Palace and arranged the ingredients on the table. Using kitchen knives and cutting boards purchased during our shopping, we cut green onions and the preparations were finished.
“Then, see you tomorrow. I’m looking forward to it.”
“Yup. Best regards. Thanks for today.”
I thanked Raid for helping me to the end and saw her off. Her knight silently following somehow reminded me of Ilya.
While watching this doggy-like knight, I recalled the cat-eared Ilya for some reason.
“… I’ll try to invite Ilya as well.”
Takoyaki beach party will be tomorrow.
She might be unable to go, but it won’t hurt to ask. Thinking I’d try on the off-chance she nods, I hurried to send Ilya a letter asking if we could meet now.
It was evening already. I thought I’d be likely refused, but Ilya readily accepted.
Since I got an okay to go to her room, I hurried there.
Only Ilya was in the room, waiting for me.
“Ilya! I’m sorry for being so sudden.”
“No. I wanted to meet you too, Lidi… Why the rush though?”
I briefly talked about tomorrow’s takoyaki party.
When I said her sister-in-law would come, Ilya looked surprised, but she immediately cast down her eyes apologetically.
“I’m sorry, Lidi. I… am not good with places with many people, so… while I’m happy about the invitation, after all…”
I expected her answer, so I clasped her hands and said.
“Don’t worry about it. I felt like you’d react like that. Ah, I have good news. Raid… No, Princess Ophelia also said she wants to become closer with you, Ilya.”
Ilya suddenly looked up. Her face seemed surprised.
“With me? Become closer?”
“Yup. She unmistakably said that herself.”
When I said that with a smile, Ilya hung her head, bashfully this time.
“I-I’m happy. I never would’ve expected her to have a favorable impression of me.”
Ilya appeared quite happy. Her voice was lively, I could tell she was truly delighted.
“That’s why I hoped we could go together, but it’s difficult for you, Ilya, isn’t it? I’ll go with the planned lineup tomorrow.”
“Don’t apologize. You didn’t do anything bad, Ilya.”
Ilya talks with me normally, but there’s no doubt her personality is quite introverted, or perhaps I should say withdrawn.
I think it’s normal she wouldn’t be able to go to a takoyaki beach party suddenly. It was me who gave an unreasonable invitation. I wish she wouldn’t worry.
“By the way… Is Brother Levitt well?”
Levitt, Ilya’s acquaintance. I haven’t talked with him directly since then, but I know he’s energetically working as a guard every day.
“Sorry. He’s too busy to meet you, Ilya.”
“No. Um… His Highness doesn’t look good when I talk with men, so probably it’s better if we don’t meet. I just wanted to ask how he’s doing. Thanks.”
“Doesn’t look good…. After all, he’s jealous?”
When I asked that, Ilya nodded her head.
The answer was what I’d expected, so I accepted it.
Freed is like that too. Fundamentally, they hate us meeting men other than them. It’s not about us cheating. They just hate it. I think Freed and Prince Hendrik are similar in that respect.
As expected of friends. They get along because they’re similar.
Having personally experienced that, I strongly sympathized with Ilya.
“I understand. Fundamentally, they’re narrow-hearted. Freed is the same. It’s not like I don’t understand their feelings, but I wish they’d let it pass at such special occasions.”
“His Highness knows I’m not an attractive female to beastmen, and yet he’s still disallowed it. Even though there’s no man who’d love me aside from His Highness.”
I understood she said it seriously.
Be that as it may, it’d be meaningless to tell her, “That’s not true.” It’s the fact that her surroundings had viewed her unattractive as a ‘female’ and as a result, she accepted Prince Hendrik’s marriage proposal.
Thanks to that, Ilya is happy now, but thinking of what led to it, I felt complicated and couldn’t openly be delighted for her.
“… Er, anyway! Ilya, I’ll gladly be present if you want to talk to Levitt, or I can convey him a message. Even if you don’t meet directly, aren’t there letters or plenty of other alternatives? I often have Levitt escort me, so it’s easy for me to talk with him. That’s why, if you need, rely on me.”
Freed too has said it. Prince Hendrik is a jealous person, so there’s no choice but to explore a plan where I’m present during Ilya and Levitt’s meeting, or where they don’t meet directly.
Levitt is one of the escorts we’ve brought with us, so Freed won’t say anything if I talk with him a little. He also understands the situation.
In that sense, I thought Freed is more rational than Prince Hendrik. No, wait. I recalled that he was still jealous of Brother, so I concluded that they’re about the same.
Ilya thanked me in tears, but I just thought that we both have it hard to have jealous husbands.