Chapter 7: 6

    Everyone's eyes were on me. So was Leonhart.

    “……What did you say.”
    “I said I objected. I can't possibly agree with this proposal.”
    “Tell me why.”
    “First of all, the budget is too high. It's unbelievable how much it cost to make the statue.”
    “Let's take a look at the document. It's not an ordinary statue.”
    “I know. Why on earth would a statue be made into jewelry? It's a very inefficient choice.”
    “It's inefficient. Is that the only reason for the objection?”

    His tone was cold. I guess something bad happened.
 

    “It can't be. There are more.”
    “What is it.”
    “I don't think the target selection is appropriate. If you want to make a statue, you'd better look for something that will help you both aesthetically and artistically.”
    “……!”

    The nobles swallowed their breaths with shocked expressions.

    ‘Why are you so surprised? That sounds right.’

    Leonhart asked, narrowing his eyes.

    “I'd like to hear what Duke thinks the right target is.”
    “Places like the Great Square tend to have a lot of floating population. In such a place, I think it is much more efficient to install regular-sized sculptures that stimulate artistic inspiration or curiosity. Ah, it would be nice to put a bench with a witty shape.”
    “……Does that mean Adela Helsington is unfit for a statue?”
    “Isn't it obvious? Who likes something that looks hideous when it's made? It just hinders traffic.”

    Leonhart took his eyes off me and scanned the crowd.

    “Is there anyone else who opposes it?”

    The nobles shook their heads as if they had agreed beforehand.

    No, what’s with these people? Do you sincerely agree?

    “Only Duke Ibrante is against it. Is that correct?”
    “…….”

    Even the breathing in the conference room disappeared. The nobles couldn't even make eye contact with Leonhart.

    ‘Like a mouse in front of a cat…….’

    I could see why the nobles were afraid of Leonhart. It was because Leonhart's atmosphere was overbearing. To the point of being overwhelmed by his atmosphere before even recognizing his beauty.

    Ah, it's too bad. If you smile just once, everyone will like you.

    “Then, the bill will be passed with a majority vote.”

    Huh?

    I raised my hand in a hurry.

    “Wait!”
    “……What else.”

    “The paper clearly states that the bill will only pass if unanimous. You can’t ignore the rules…….”

    Now the nobles looked at me all at once. If earlier they had shown shocking emotions, now they seemed to be begging me to stop.

    “……I wonder if it's working.”

    I shut my mouth under the mournful gaze of the nobles. The more I talked, the more I felt uncomfortable with the atmosphere as if I was harassing them.

    Tak!

    Leonhart put the papers down as if throwing them.

    “Duke Ibrante.”
    “Yes, Your Highness.”
    “Look at me for a second.”
    “……Pardon?”
    “Follow me.”

    Leonhart left the conference room without saying farewell. I looked at the roughly shaken conference room door and turned my eyes away. The nobles were looking at me with pitiful eyes.

    ……Did I make a mistake?
 

* * *

    Leaving the eyes of the nobles behind, I went out of the conference room, and the attendant guided me to the back garden. It was a secret space with a white tea table in a small garden surrounded by garden trees.

    Leonhart was standing there smoking.

    I could feel deep fatigue and boredom from the profile of him smoking a cigarette while looking into the distance.

    Is there a lot of work? At the same time I felt sorry for him, I felt angry.

    ‘Is he crazy? Then, what if asthma strikes again?’

    Leonhart suffered from asthma as a child and had a weak bronchus. I cared so much about it. Undine was his own humidifier, and Sylph was his air purifier. I was also the one who turned the entire expedition into a non-smoker.

    ‘Now you still smoke despite my effort?’

    In my mind, I wanted to take away the cigarette right away.

    ‘But that's against Adrian's personality…….’

    I stood at an appropriate distance from Leonhart and covered my nose.

    “Your Highness, could you please stop smoking? The smell is disgusting.”
    “It's not something that will come out of a smoker's mouth, is it?”

    Adrian was a heavy smoker.

    “L, long-term smoking can cause asthma. So I stopped. Isn't asthma a very painful disease?”

    So you should quit smoking, too. You punk.

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    Leonhart slowly approached with one hand in his suit pocket. With a cigarette still in his mouth.

    Was it because I got smaller while Leonhart got bigger? Or was it because Leonhart's energy was getting stronger? It was as if a giant monster was looming.

    The pressure was so intense that it made my shoulders ache.

    “Fuu-”
    “……Cough.”

    Leonhart, standing right in front of me, blew smoke as if showing off. A thick layer of smoke drifted over my face. I was really surprised. I knew Leonhart would stop smoking but I didn't expect him to act so rude.

    “I can't believe the person who would be most pleased if I had asthma said that. That's unexpected.”

    Did you two get along that badly? But the nobles said Adrian hadn't been at the meeting since 5 years ago?

    If so, there would have been no point of contact with Leonhart, who returned from defeating the demon king by that time.

    But why does he hate Adrian so much?

    “Your Highness, by any chance, something happened between us in the past…….”
    “Let's cut the crap and get to the point.”
    “Yes…….”
    “What was your reason for attending the meeting?”

    [Step 3: (Staring at Leonhart with an arrogant expression) You're being rude. Do you dare defy the Duke's authority?]

    “I asked why you crawled out of nowhere and bothered me. Duke Ibrante.”

    I was lost in thought looking at Leonhart's lips.

    What the hell happened in the 5 years I wasn't around that made that nice kid pointy like a hedgehog?

    ‘Don't tell me you're still being bullied by the other princes?’

    It was plausible. The outside had changed, but the inside would still be tender. It was clear that the bad guys used it as a weakness. That was why Leonhart became so picky.

    I read the instructions, recalling the faces of the princes with faint memories.

    “You're being rude. Do you dare defy the Duke's authority?”
    “Stay in the mansion, as you've always done. It's annoying.”

    [Step 1: (In a ridiculous way) You'd better be careful with your words and actions. Your Highness cannot become the Crown Prince without my help.]

    To become the Crown Prince, the support of nobles was important. So Leonhart had to bring the duke, the representative of the nobility, to his side in many ways to be in an advantageous position. Of course, as long as I possessed Adrian, I intend to support Leonhart unconditionally, but…….

    Apart from that, I was feeling worse and worse.

    ‘But why is he taking it out on me?’

    No, did I offend you? If you're a prince, then I'm a duke. Isn't the duke a position that even the Emperor can't ignore?

    However, if we argue here, it will only sound like a fight.

 

    I used my patience to adapt the instruction as smoothly as possible.

    “You'd better be careful with your words and actions. Only then will I help Your Highness become the Crown Prince.”
    “Stop saying things you don't mean. What I wish for will come true with my own hands. Even without Duke's help.”

    That's right, if you want something, it's right to achieve it yourself.

    But it would be much easier if I helped? It was foolish to go on a difficult path without taking an easy path.

    Of course, I was going to persuade Leonhart when the next instruction came out.

    [Step 3: (Clicking tongue as if he's pathetic) Did Adela Helsington leave a will before she died? Stand up on your own? What a commoner's idea is, perhaps, so insignificant.]

    Aristocrats generally looked down on commoners, but Adrian went too far.

    An arrogant aristocrat entrenched in a sense of privilege.

    It was the type of character I absolutely hate, and unfortunately, Adrian had exactly the same personality.

    Contrary to my intentions, my lips spat out the instruction.

    Stage 3’s degree of freedom is only 5%.

    “Did Adela Helsington leave a will before she died? Stand up on your own? What a commoner's idea is, perhaps, so insignificant.”

    Even though I said it with my own mouth, it was really disappointing. My cold voice was full of a sense of privilege and contempt for the common people.

    “Ha…….”

    Leonhart laughed softly and brushed his hair back. It was so sensual that I couldn't take my eyes off him.

    ‘Oh, you laughed! Yeah, you look pretty when you smile……Ugh!’

    I couldn't breathe.

    It was because Leonhart grabbed my neck with one hand.

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