“It is said that many unmarried girls have fallen ill with lovesickness after seeing the Prince. Do you have any plans to look for the Princess in Rotair?”
The Queen spoke again. Rogero was starting to get tired of the meaningless chatter, but he just laughed it off.
“Well, they say that the imperial Princesses have to live only in the imperial palace for their entire lives. For the ladies of Rotair who are accustomed to a free life, this is unthinkable.”
It was as if that was why Rogero couldn't find a bride here. Rogero snorted inwardly. He was said to be confined to the royal concubine and rarely came out, but he seemed to be better at seeing and hearing than other people.
“But what is the reason for that unique hair color? Could it be that it is His Majesty, the Emperor of the Empire, or the Empress?”
“No, Queen. The person with green hair was my grandmother. When I was just born, my father looked at me and said he thought I was my grandmother reincarnated.”
“It’s not bad to stand out, but wouldn’t it be better to dye your hair a plain color?”
“I have no intention of doing that because I like the way I look like my Grandmother.”
When Rogero spoke clearly, the Queen could not find any more quibbles. She laughed loudly, covering her mouth with the end of her fan as if showing off. Rogero said.
“Your Majesty.”
"Is there something?"
“You probably didn’t call me just to chat about my hair color and marriage. I’m sure the Queen Mother is not trying to say that you will introduce me to the girl who is destined to be my partner.”
“Why do you think so? If the Prince wants, I can introduce you as much as you want.”
She's still trembling. The bridge of Rogero's nose wrinkled playfully.
“I am grateful that the wise Queen will personally act as my matchmaker, but since I am not qualified enough to start a family, I will only accept it with gratitude. So, is the business over now?”
“You also have an impatient personality.”
The Queen reached out to the table and picked up a teacup with an extremely noble attitude. At the same time, she realized once again that Rogero had not even had a sip of tea yet. The Queen's eyes flashed meaningfully for a moment. He was said to be a frivolous and childlike Prince, but judging from his cautious manner, it seemed that he would not be easy to deal with.
“Does the Prince know much about trade?”
After a moment of silence, Rogero sat back in his chair and placed his clasped hands on his knees.
“I can’t say I know much about it because it’s not my main field. However, since I have a duty as a Prince, I cannot say that I am completely ignorant. Excessive humility would actually be an insult to the Delacca Imperial Family.”
“That’s a wise answer, good. You know that the scale of trade between your home country, the Delacca Empire, and our Rotair is not small at all. However, most of the scale is currently monopolized by one family.”
“It’s the Duke of Vergy.”
His voice was relaxed as if he didn't know that much. The Queen's lips twitched nervously. However, she did not immediately show her temper tantrum like she did in front of Rotair people.
"Exactly. The Duke of Vergy took advantage of the advantageous position of his duchy and engaged in trade with many countries, including the Empire, for a long time. That business made the Duke’s status even more prestigious in name and reality.”
“From what I heard, the Duke of Vergy is a family that has helped the royal family since the kingdom was first established.”
The Queen snorted.
“Of course, it’s not like there are no such achievements, but isn’t this the era of war? Even though the Duke of Vergy's achieved numerous military honors in the past, it is now nothing but glory that has lost its luster.”
“Let’s put it that way. So, what does Queen Mother really want to say?”
Rogero consistently maintained a cocky attitude that deliberately got on the Queen's nerves. As he had intended, the expression on the Queen's face was not very good as she had never received such treatment from others before. But she seemed to be able to hold on for now. Perhaps she mustered up all the patience she would normally have in order to achieve her goal.
“Of course, the Prince loves the Delaklcca Empire, right?”
“Of course, Queen Mother.”
“Then you would be happy to do something that would be beneficial to the empire?”
“If it is truly beneficial, then of course.”
“There are many different interests of a country, but there is no interest that can be ascertained as clearly as goods. If I can enable the empire to make steady and enormous profits in the future, will the Prince help me?”
Atlas. Rogero smiled softly in his heart. The Queen's true intentions finally came out. Rogero said.
“I am still young and foolish, so it is difficult for me to guess what the Queen Mother wants to propose.”
“There is not just one Duke in Rotair.”
Rogero's eyes blinked silently. The Queen continued.
“My parents, the Duke of Laitian, although they are not as advantageous in trade as the Duke of Vergily, own a vast and rich estate. Of course, the products produced in the duchy are no less inferior to those produced in the Duchy of Vergis.”
“So?”
“If the empire wants to open up a new trade route through the Laitian duchy, Laitian will gladly welcome it. Not only will we reduce tariffs, but we will also pay you a generous price for the items.”
Rogero's eyebrows faintly twitched as he listened. It would be a lie to say that Queen Gilsis' offer was not attractive. Trade transactions had been taking place between the Empire and Rotair for a long time, and therefore tariffs and prices of items remained almost fixed, with only slight fluctuations depending on the period. After many years of negotiation, it was decided that both sides could share the benefits fairly.
However, from a trading standpoint, it was natural to want to make at least a little bit of profit, whether you were buying or selling. Because the human mind is more pleased with the change that falls into their hand right now than with a fair transaction. There was no need to say anything, especially if it was a big deal for the country.
If the Queen's words were true, the Delacca Empire would be able to enjoy much greater profits than it does now for quite a long time. Since it is impossible for a transaction to be concluded in which only one party suffers permanent losses, it was probably only a limited condition, but even so, it was by no means a number that would have been a waste to miss.
However, surprisingly, there was no glow on Rogero's face. Just as the Queen was about to add her words, Rogero opened his mouth first.
“There has been a saying since ancient times that pretty flowers are poisonous, and that the more delicious and sweet they are, the more likely they are to cause harm, so be careful. What Queen Mother suggested is not only a stunningly pretty flower, but also sweeter than honey, so I’m sure it won’t be cheap.”
“Would I really say something white in front of a Prince who is as old as my son? I will definitely keep my promise.”
“You have to be careful with even a molasses cookie. Moreover, if you bite into something this big, you will definitely get an upset stomach. What is the reason for such a proposal, and what does the Queen Mother want?”
The Queen waved the end of her fan gently at the corner of her mouth. She lowered her gaze with her eyes narrowed and smiled quietly behind her fan covering her lips.
“Have you ever met my son?”
“As for the Second Prince, I have never met him yet. Well, I might have passed by at the banquet hall.”
“The Prince is close friends with Franz. Although they are half-brothers, my son and Franz are the only brothers in the world, so why not seize the day and build up a friendship with the second Prince?”
“I heard that the Second Prince is quite a broad person in Rotair’s social circles, so I don’t think there’s any need to add me in.”
“Being broad in the social world and having the Emperor of an empire as a friend have different weights. No different. The Prince must have received an excellent education befitting your bloodline from the Delacca Imperial Family, so you will have a lot to teach my son, who is lacking. I’m not saying this because Krald is my biological son, but he’s also quite intelligent.”
It was something he had never heard of, but parents are people who want to believe that their children are the best in the world. Rogero didn't necessarily complain about it. The Queen, who was watching Rogero's expression closely, continued her words.
“It would be of great help in many ways if the Prince became friends with Krald and introduced the child to Delacca’s social circles and the imperial family in the future. Of course, your reputation within Rotair will also increase.”
Rogero laughed.
“Queen, you are charging too much for something like my mouth.”
“Haven’t you already experienced that many people accept the Prince’s evaluation as the Emperor’s evaluation?”
At first glance, it seemed like she was praising Rogero, but that wasn't the case. That's why she had to add the phrase, 'There are many people who accept it.'
However, the Queen wanted to make the most of Rogero's status. Now that the nobles of Rotair were watching Delacca, he needed to put some strings between him and Krald.
Rogero raised an eyebrow after hearing the Queen's words. He couldn't tell if he was sincere or just trying to figure out something.
When it seemed like she couldn't move him as she wanted, Queen Gilsis' voice suddenly became thorny. However, Rogero smiled like he always did. Rogero said.
“You have until the age of twenty-one to take the entrance exam for Delacca’s Academy. It is not too late to send the second Prince to study abroad as well. So, if His Highness graduates at the top of his class, His Majesty the Emperor will probably personally call him and praise him.”
"What?"
“Although the Second Prince is Franz’s half-brother, if they were brothers, they would have some similarities, right? Even if the Second Prince doesn't look exactly like him, if he can do half as well as Franz, he will definitely be a senior. What do you think?"
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Hahhha... Rogero, i love you. Please don't change XD
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