After finishing the discussion, Rest was led to the guest room of the mansion.
He was strongly urged to postpone the diamond bear hunt to tomorrow and stay at the mansion for the night.
Rest disappeared into the guest room... and Urla and Margrave Lavender, who were left behind, began to speak in hushed tones.
"Was this all right, young lady?"
"Mm, no problem."
Margrave Lavender addressed Urla with respectful language.
Urla nodded with a satisfied expression at his question.
"Good. You have my praise."
"You are too kind. I am glad you are satisfied."
Margrave Lavender bowed deeply to Urla.
It was a conversation where the master and servant roles were reversed, but this was their true relationship.
"Ah, you may now drop the disguise."
Margrave Lavender raised a hand to his face, and in the next instant, his appearance transformed.
The one who appeared was a man in butler attire—the very butler who had guided Rest.
Rest had no way of knowing this, but this butler was a member of the covert unit under Margrave Lavender.
He had mastered transformation magic and had used it to impersonate Urla's grandfather.
"With this, we've secured a favor from Count Clover. It will be hard for him to refuse the young lady's request."
"Mm."
"Then all that's left is to get permission from Marquis Rosemary, and finally His Majesty the King's approval. Once that's done, Count Clover won't be able to refuse marriage with the young lady... And they have no reason to refuse this marriage. They may find our change of heart strange, but in the end, they will consent."
The butler is probably right.
House Lavender has distanced itself from the cooperative approach taken by the pro-king faction and is advocating war with the Gaiselle Empire.
The existence of House Lavender is a source of worry for the king as well.
If Urla were to marry Rest, that worry would be resolved.
Rest is under the patronage of Marquis Rosemary and belongs to the moderate faction.
While it would be problematic for Rest to be absorbed into House Lavender, Urla being taken into House Clover is highly agreeable.
In essence, it would be equivalent to absorbing House Lavender itself into the moderate faction.
«If there is a problem… it’s that too much power is concentrated in House Clover. If Rest Clover were to rebel against the Kingdom of Aiwood, the kingdom could be destroyed.»
Officially and unofficially, Rest has multiple fiancées and candidates for mistress.
Viola and Primula of House Rosemary.
Yuri of House Cattleya.
Celestine of House Crocus.
If Urla of House Lavender were added here, Rest would end up related to more than half of the kingdom’s powerful nobles.
Depending on Rest’s actions… he could even wield influence surpassing the royal family.
«If something wicked were to take root in his heart, he might become a threat even greater than the Gaiselle Empire.»
«It’s fine.»
Urla immediately responds to the butler’s concern.
«It’s fine. He is fine.»
«But… at least have someone watch over him…»
«No need. I’m watching over him myself.»
Urla's Eyes Shimmer with Seven Colors "I'm watching him… I'm always, always watching. So it's fine."
"Very well."
Faced with Urla's repeated insistence, the butler backed down.
The butler was the one who supervised the servants of House Lavender, but even so, he was not in a position to oppose his lord's wishes.
If Urla said so, he had no choice but to accept it.
"If you insist so strongly, my lady, I shall leave it to you."
"Hmm… Besides, it's necessary for this country."
"Necessary… you mean Lord Rest?"
"A storm is coming. From the north and the east. So everyone must rally around Rest. It's important."
"…"
Urla possessed a special pair of eyes known as the "Fairy Eyes." They could see distant sights, and sometimes even the future.
Something only visible to Urla might have foreseen that Rest would be caught up in a great storm in the future.
"Understood… By the way, what about dinner…"
"Eastern ethnic cuisine. Rest wants to eat it."
"Ah, he enjoyed the adzuki bean sweets as well. Eastern cuisine must agree with him."
"I'll have them serve ramen too. He'll be delighted for sure."
"Ah, that soup pasta. I'll inform the chef to add it to the menu."
"Please do."
That day, the House of Lavender served the ethnic cuisine brought from the East.
Whether it was introduced by a reincarnated person, or if such a culture existed in this world... Rest was moved to tears by the nostalgic dish he had eaten in Japan.
—————————— Thank you for staying with this work for another year.
Thanks to you, I was able to take first place in the weekly rankings for the first time and also win an award in the Otherworldly Fantasy category of the Kakuyomu Contest.
The book is also scheduled to be released next year.
I cannot reveal the details yet, but I will let you know as soon as it is decided.
I look forward to your continued support next year.
I wish you a happy new year.