After washing away the dirt from our long journey in the bath, I and Jurgen put on our clothes and discussed what to do next.
"First and foremost, we have to keep up with Onee-sama's pace. We can't let her take control of the situation."
"Yes. But we were outmaneuvered beautifully."
Jurgen's face didn't show any regret at all. Rather, it looked as if he was praising her for her skill.
Well, considering how she shattered our plans so beautifully, it's understandable to be impressed, but now isn't the time to be admiring her.
"As a younger brother, I think Onee-sama's attitude toward Duke Reinfeldt isn't one of dislike. If anything, I think she finds it favorable."
"Really!?"
"That's just my impression, but Onee-sama has that kind of personality. She wouldn't come to a place where someone she dislikes lives, no matter how much I asked her to. The reason she refuses the marriage proposal must lie in the conditions he set."
"'I will not marry someone who cannot die with me'...?"
"Yes. In other words, if those conditions are met, she isn't averse to marriage itself. If she were completely against marriage, there would be no hope, but as a royal woman, she has been taught from a young age that she will eventually get married. So, if the Duke can prove that he meets her conditions, there is still hope."
"I see... But to be someone who can die with her, one would have to become her confidant."
That's the problem.
Onee-sama deliberately chased Jurgen out of the military.
She blocked the chance for him to become her confidant.
That's the only thing that doesn't seem like her. Jurgen didn't fail in the military; Onee-sama had him chased out.
That point is concerning.
"Regardless, we need to at least prove that we can fight."
"I understand. We'll show the results of our training to Princess Lieselotte."
With that, Jurgen confidently patted his protruding belly.
Seeing the jiggling flesh, I felt a vague sense of unease, but I couldn't bring myself to say anything.
■■■
"You took a long bath. Does it really take that long to wash your hair and body?"
"Assuming a bath is only for washing hair and body is a desecration of the bath, Onee-sama."
Onee-sama's hair, which she mentioned first, was lustrous.
It probably didn't take much effort, just a regular wash.
She might get frowned upon by other women.
Jurgen and I sat at the round table where Onee-sama was seated. There was tea prepared on the table, and there were also sweets, but Onee-sama had pulled them closer to herself, so we couldn't reach them.
"Is that so? On the battlefield, water is precious. You can't afford to enjoy it."
"When we were in the capital, you didn't have to worry about it, right?"
"When we were in the capital, there were maids, and I didn't like it. In the end, I always take a quick bath. I just can't understand the feeling of enjoying a bath."
The maids must be quite something.
Aren't they scared to bathe with this Onee-sama and wash her body?
Well, they probably can't afford to think about such things.
It's a tough job. Next time, I'll bring some treats for Mother's maids.
"A bath is full of vulnerabilities. Perhaps Onee-sama unconsciously dislikes that."
"Ah! That's it! Good point, Jurgen."
Onee-sama smiled and praised Jurgen.
Then, as a reward, she gave him a sweet from in front of her.
Onee-sama giving something to someone!?
It was shocking.
Onee-sama is very possessive of her things. You could say she has a strong attachment to them. I've only received something from her a few times.
Once, one of Onee-sama's subordinates was beaten up by a noble and had to be treated. When Onee-sama heard about it, she stormed into the noble's house and said, "My subordinate is my property. I am responsible for their life. You have damaged my property without permission." Then she beat up the noble.
It caused quite a problem, but the Crown Prince intervened and prevented it from becoming a major issue.
For Onee-sama to give a sweet to Jurgen... Well, technically, it was originally Jurgen's, and the sweets were meant to be shared among the three of us.
Still, it's very rare. This alone shows that Onee-sama has taken a liking to Jurgen.
"Thank you."
"Indeed."
Jurgen gratefully accepted the sweet, and Onee-sama accepted his attitude as a matter of course.
She might be in a particularly good mood today.
To test this, I decided to reach for a sweet.
Suddenly, my vision spun, and I felt a shock on my back. I found myself lying on my back on the floor.
"It seems you've developed a bad habit since we last met, Al."
"Onee-sama is still the same, I see..."
My right wrist was grabbed by Onee-sama.
She twisted my wrist with one hand and completely overpowered me. And she made sure I landed softly to avoid injury.
Onee-sama is terrifying, even over a sweet.
"That's strange... You were supposed to be in a good mood, right?"
"I am. I'm just happy to see you after so long. Even though you, my disrespectful younger brother, didn't come to see me while you were idle in the capital, I'm still in a good mood just to see you. Don't you think I'm a wonderful sister?"
"I don't know. The world generally doesn't consider a sister who throws her brother just for reaching for a sweet to be wonderful."
"That's because you tried to steal my sweet without asking."
"That's not right. There are three of us, so it's for all of us to share."
"Of course, it was placed in front of me. So, it's mine."
"..."
With that, Onee-sama picked up a sweet and ate it with relish.
Sweets are rare on the front lines. Onee-sama, as a marshal, could indulge in luxuries if she wanted, but she lives modestly to set an example for the soldiers.
So, this must be a rare treat for her. She's in a good mood.
Seeing her like this, Jurgen also looks happy.
Why? Why am I the only one with my wrist pinned? It's unfair.
No matter how much I struggle, I can't break free from Onee-sama's grip.
"Onee-sama, can you let me go now?"
"Why?"
"Why!?"
"I can't let go of someone who hasn't apologized, can I?"
"But it was originally a sweet for all three of us."
"It's mine."
"...I'm sorry for trying to steal your sweet."
"There should be more to your apology."
"Your sweet! I'm sorry for trying to steal your sweet."
"Very well."
Only then was I released.
Rubbing my wrist, I returned to my chair, but the sweets in front of Onee-sama were almost gone.
"Hmm? Jurgen, the sweets are gone?"
"Don't say it like they disappeared on their own. Onee-sama ate them."
"I'll have more prepared immediately."
"Indeed."
"..."
Why do I have to be ignored like this?
When Jurgen clapped his hands, maids brought in a small plate of cake. It smelled sweet, but not in an unpleasant way. It was probably a cheesecake. It looked delicious.
First, it was placed in front of Onee-sama. Then, it was placed in front of me—only to be pulled back to Onee-sama by her hand.
I can't take it anymore!
"Hey!! This is unfair!!"
"What is?"
"Everything! Why are you taking the small plate that was placed in front of me!? You have your own, don't you!?"
"I don't."
"You already ate them! So fast! And besides, that's mine! Don't eat it so casually!"
"A younger brother's things are the older sister's things."
"What kind of tyrannical logic is that!? If someone said a younger sister's things are the older brother's things, would you accept it!?"
"I don't yield to injustice."
"Argh!?"
Realizing that arguing was futile, I reached for the cake forcefully.
However, Onee-sama deflected my hand with one hand and started eating the cake with the other.
This is it!
Determined to take it back, I attacked with both hands, but she handled everything with one hand.
Before I knew it, my cake was eaten by Onee-sama.
"Ah..."
"Prince Arnold, please, have mine."
"Thank you, Duke. I'll have it."
"A younger brother's things are the older sister's things, remember?"
The cake Jurgen offered was intercepted before it reached my hand.
And that cake also ended up in Onee-sama's stomach.
It's so unfair...
In the end, I couldn't eat anything there.
I've been updating twice, so I forgot how to structure a single update (;´・ω・)