Chapter 37 – Episode 37. Fools and Fools (3)
‘Listen. Do you want to marry Leopold first?’
【Sure. Being connected with Your Highness, I have never forgotten that.]
In an instant, the words I wanted to say rose up. Unable to say that, Astrid swallowed hard and tried to change her mind.
‘For something like that… Aren’t you too insensitive? Leopold seemed to hate you.’
If you think about it, it really was. Since waking up as Astrid, the number of times she has met Leopold in person can be counted on one hand. I think we met a couple of times, and besides, once was a meeting. Even then, she and Astrid couldn’t get enough of each other and growled.
【You don’t know how shy Your Highness is. Her Highness is also a dream with me.]
‘You don’t know what a statue dream is.’
【Your Highness’s heart and mine are the same. You lack common sense.]
It’s called heartbreaking, that’s… !
‘… Uh, anyway. Good. My goal is to return to where I was originally, and your goal is to marry Leopold. But all you can be with is an hour a day. See what I mean?’
【Are you threatening me right now?】
It was fortunate. At least Astrid seemed to understand what Astrid meant. If she didn’t understand even this, she would have been really at a loss as to how to explain it.
‘No, rather, what I am trying to do is to cooperate with each other. You help me get out of your body and return to the original world. I’ll help you get married.’
【… So what’s your advantage?]
With some hesitation, Astrid still knew that, like her noble daughter, she would weigh her gains and losses on her deal. It was a relief that I could think of basic things like this, although my common sense was somewhat, no, very lacking.
‘The condition is that I return first. I have no interest in marriage at all. You can walk the wedding road with Leopold after I go back.’
For a long time after that, the real Astrid didn’t say anything. It was only after a long period of time had passed, that the real Astrid answered.
【… Great. If you hadn’t entered my body anyway, I would have died that day. Anyway, since you’re still alive for the reason you came here, I’ll cooperate with you to return. However, I also have one condition.]
‘This wouldn’t be the situation for you to put conditions on.’
It is the fake Astrid who rules her body 23 hours a day.
The real Astrid controls her body for only one hour a day.
Even that cannot be changed unless the fake Astrid agrees.
In such a situation, it was a bit unreasonable for the real Astrid to set conditions.
[It is not an unreasonable condition.]
‘Okay, let’s listen first. Say it.’
【For face wash, use a face wash from Estiroma.】
‘… Huh?’
【For towels, use northern brand towels that do not lint.】
【Be sure to take a half-body bath for 30 minutes a day.】
【Eat enough meat for nutrition.】
【Wear a white dress.】
【For accessories, bring the jewelry box in my room and wear it as I specify.】
‘Oh, no… Wait, wait.’
[And, thoroughly separate those damn bitches who hang out by Your Highness’ side. My requirements are like this. What would you like?】
A sigh came out.
But if you think about it differently, isn’t Astrid just twenty?
The age I want to decorate, the age I need to decorate, and the age I need to shine brightly.
If you think about it that way, it wasn’t an unreasonable requirement.
‘Good. I will accept it.’
【Is it so. Then let’s form an alliance like this.]
Unexpectedly, the alliance was concluded smoothly.
Fake Astrid helps her return to her original world, where she belongs.
And the fake Astrid helps the real Astrid marry Leopold.
However, the wedding takes place after the fake Astrid returns to her original world.
Around the time the contract, organized in just three lines, was signed, the carriage was already approaching the capital of Persant.
【It’s the Persant Illusion Wall. It’s nice to see you after a long time.]
‘Do you know me well?’
【Because I’ve seen a lot more than that!】
It was a pointed tone, but there was a lot of joy and excitement that couldn’t be hidden.
It was the wall of the illusion of Persant that I had seen in a blurry and not clearly visible form, but it was not incomprehensible because it would be nice to see it clearly even now.
*
After passing through the gateway, you will find the grand duke’s house.
【I’ll go home right away and change my clothes. Then, you can go to the imperial palace and apply for an interview.]
‘Are you really going to say hello to vacation?’
【Isn’t that obvious? If you don’t say hello to the person who will be your father-in-law, I don’t know who you’re talking about.]
‘Let’s not talk, let’s not talk.’
I wondered if there would be another pure love like him.
Maybe it would have been great if I had just killed my temper and studied quietly.
‘Come to think of it, you probably grew up in the North all along.’
【That’s right.】
The carriage running on the well-maintained road was quite calm, and Astrid was not particularly tired even after running for nearly three hours.
However, after sitting for a long time, she felt her joints stiffen, so she stretched her arms out.
‘Then how did you study?’
【Heroes don’t study.】
‘… That’s not what… But since he’s a noble, he shouldn’t have learned basic culture.’
It’s clear to see how much trouble Wolfgang must have been to say that heroes don’t study.
Do you naturally say that you don’t study like that?
【There was a tutor. Live-in tutor.】
‘Okay?’
Was there such a record?
It didn’t seem like there was anything like that in the diary.
However, if you think about it, there must have been no answer other than a tutor. There was no way that there would be a school in such an area, and moreover, it is unlikely that this high-nosed aristocratic lady would have gone to school with commoners.
Then, is the answer only to the resident tutor?
【Well, I wasn’t a very good teacher. He spent more time fighting with me than teaching me.]
‘Okay… The teacher must have suffered a lot.’
【What does it mean? Dude, I can’t hear that right now. Meaning in more detail-]
“We are here!”
Queek, it feels like the carriage is stopping.
If you peek out of the wagon window, you can see the grandeur of the mansion, if not as impressive as the northern mansion.
The door of the wagon stopped in front of the iron gate at the entrance opened, and at the same time the iron door opened wide, and servants rushed out of the mansion.
And one of them stands out.
“Ashley, why are you here?”
“Aigoo, sister. It’s been a while since I’ve seen you, so what’s your first greeting?”
【Why is this guy here?】
‘I don’t know either.’
A face that clearly smiles with a big cut.
The giant, whose face was filled with joy for his sister, was smiling at Astrid.
“Didn’t you send a letter saying that your sister was coming?”
“It did.”
“When I heard the news, it hurt me. Wouldn’t it be okay for me to come first, meet your sister, and go back to Mitterien together? My father wanted it too.”
Ashley, who picked up the suitcase, which must have been quite heavy, with one hand, smiled broadly.
Astrid walks across the garden side by side with his laughter.
It was undoubtedly true that it was nice to see a younger sister after a long absence, and Astrid was also in a good mood.
“What about your father?”
“How are you? What’s that these days, the immigrants are pretty quiet too. Father alone is enough… No, you don’t need such a modifier. Because you’re messing with everything. If I’m missing one, what’s the problem with Mitterien?”
“That’s right. When did you arrive?”
“It arrived yesterday. Hey, if I was a day late, I would have been in big trouble. I didn’t know that my sister would arrive the very next day after I arrived.”
“Calculating the date is so simple, why don’t you know that?”
The training period is 4 weeks anyway, so it would be simple if you just count it, but Astrid was puzzled.
“Oh, it was because it was so heavy that I brought my sister’s weapon with me. Did the horse survive because I carried my hammer and my sister’s great sword?”
“Oh, you brought it.”
A weapon that Astrid used in the northern territories.
【You brought snow flowers?!】
Astrid’s voice was full of joy.
Snow flower.
‘Is the name of that greatsword Snow Flower?’
First of all, it’s not Snow.
It’s a dingy, very dark gray.
Not even a flower.
It’s a big sword that doesn’t know if it’s an ax or a sword or a lump of iron.
Since it’s Astrid, I can handle it with one hand, but it’s the kind of greatsword that normal people won’t budge even if they try to hold it with both hands. But her name is Snow Flower.
Astrid thought that she would not understand at all.
[It’s pretty, but it’s a name that fits very well, but I don’t know what’s strange about it. After all, this is why commoners.]
‘You’re weird.’
She took off her school uniform and changed into her street clothes with the help of her lady-in-waiting.
Time was running out, so I had to go to the imperial palace as soon as possible and apply for an interview.
No matter how much Astrid was, she couldn’t meet the emperor as soon as she applied for it. Even the king of a small country would be able to meet the emperor of the great empire Eindhafen on the same day by applying on the same day? It is impossible.
“Sister, where are you going? As soon as you come.”
Ashley, a really unsuitable combination of well-fitting leopard skin pants and a velvet shirt, walked around the mansion lobby and greeted Astrid as she came down the stairs to the second floor.
“To the imperial palace.”
“Are you going to apply for an interview?”
“Huh.”
“Can I go with you?”
“If you can’t, won’t you follow me?”
At those words, Ashley smiled.
“Could that be? I’ll follow you even if you’re hiding. It’s been such a long time since I met my sister, so please be considerate of this younger sister’s sorrowful heart, who wants to stay together for a little while longer, sister.”
“It’s bland.”
Astrid smiled and nodded her head.
“Let’s go. But I can’t wear that outfit. Dress properly.”
“Have you met Her Highness?”
【Since you’re in the imperial palace, I’ll see you tomorrow anyway.】
It wasn’t too far from her home to the Imperial Palace Reception Office.
Since there weren’t many people who could interview the emperor, it didn’t take long for the application to be accepted, and since Astrid’s face is her identity, the application was accepted right away.
The interview was scheduled for tomorrow, and Astrid and Ashley left the application office and walked towards the plaza.
“Your sister hasn’t changed at all in four weeks.”
【Of course. How much effort did I put in?]
I was in charge.
“So.”
“You are still chilly.”
“You don’t have to be particularly friendly, do you?”
【Is it so. What is the need to be kind to a younger brother?]
“Ashley, do you have something urgent for dinner?”
“Ah, there are.”
After coming out with Ashley like this, I wondered if I should go in and have dinner.
They say they ate lunch at school, but the sun was already setting, so it was time for dinner soon.
For four weeks, I made a habit of eating dinner at a slightly earlier time, and by this time, I felt hungry.
“Is something urgent?”
【There’s no way that unemployed guy is in a hurry. It must be a lie.]
“Ah, I have to eat dinner with my sister. I haven’t received consent yet. How are you going to be okay?”
【You’ve become more smirking while I haven’t seen you. Who does he look like?]
‘Better than you.’
“Okay, then let’s do that. Coincidence, I was going to say that too.”
“Yea, it’s because they’re siblings. Even if you don’t talk, there’s something you can do.”
“Nothing. Do you have anything you want to eat?”
“I want to eat the firewood-grilled wild boar my sister used to make, but I can’t do it here. Do you even eat meat? If you always want something to eat, isn’t it meat?”
Astrid was also in favor of that statement.
【I agree too!】
