Rogero turned his gaze away and said with a chuckle.
“Oh, I was trying to drink moderately. But Bartholomew keeps provoking me. Why is your knight commander so aggressive? He always wants to fight me.”
Franz couldn't help but laugh at his continued teasing. He said.
“Thank you for playing with Erwin all day today.”
“That guy, the more I look at him, the cuter he gets. Until last year, I thought he was just born, but today, when I saw him riding a wooden horse and swinging his sword, I couldn’t help but laugh. Do kids just grow up in the blink of an eye?”
Franz decided that now was the time to ask what he had been curious about. He turned to Rogero and sat down, his expression serious.
“Now that we’ve brought up the subject of children, do you have something to tell me? Tell me quickly. What you wrote in your letter. Suddenly, a baby? What do you mean?”
“I thought you were going to let it slide without asking, but you were holding back.”
Franz snorted as Rogero playfully stuck out his tongue. There is something else to get over, how can you get over something like this? As soon as he read the letter, he was furious unless he got the price he almost fell behind.
“I don’t know where to start and where to end my questions, so you explain it yourself.”
“Hmm... Well, if you ask me to explain, that’s all it says. I have a partner, and that person had a baby. That’s all.”
“I don’t understand the whole ‘living together’ thing. Does that make sense? So even after having a baby, you’re still officially single?”
"Yes."
He had guessed it, but it was shocking. Franz knew almost everything about Rogero's personality and his position in the Empire, but this was not a problem he could laugh off as usual. He was worried about Rogero, the person he was living with, and the child he was supposedly carrying.
“Who on earth is that person you’re living with? And what about that baby... What did the royal family decide to do about it?”
“Well, what can I do? I told her that we could get married if she wanted, but she refused. I heard that they are still discussing the baby.”
The tone of voice was calm as if it was someone else's business. Franz began to wonder more and more who that 'someone' was. What kind of person could she be, and what was she thinking, living with the imperial prince and not getting married even after having a child?
If a Prince or Princess, a member of the imperial family, had a child from someone other than their legally married spouse, that child could be included in the imperial genealogy.
However, there were many things he could not enjoy because he was not a legitimate heir, and depending on who was in power, he could be purged without any crime. It was the same for not only the Empire but also Rotair, so Franz could not help but be more concerned.
“Actually, that person...”
Rogero spoke again. His manner was strangely cautious, and Franz looked at him with suspicion. He knew from experience that whenever he spoke like this, something that would make Franz faint was waiting for him. Even if the situation was not that serious, it was not likely to be anything serious.
“Why did you stop talking? That’s not like you.”
“The person who lives with me is actually Saragan.”
There was a brief moment of silence. Franz could not immediately understand the name that was being given as if confessing some great wrongdoing. Just before the words, “Who is that?” came out of his lips, he unconsciously slammed the table.
“Was the daughter of the King of Hibs? The Saragan of the South?”
“Yeah, that one.”
Franz opened his mouth wide.
“Does that make sense? Where on earth did you meet? No, more importantly, you...”
“She came to the Empire. I think she was traveling around alone. Anyway, she didn’t come looking for me. It was just a coincidence that we met, but how did this happen?”
Are you going to call this an answer now? Franz looked at Rogero with a strangely frowning expression.
Rogero's awkward reunion with Saragan took place at a technology fair hosted by the Imperial Palace. Every year, Delacca's engineers would present their research at the fair. It was an event that everyone would work hard for, as the most popular research would be given a huge prize.
Rogero, who was attending as a representative of the royal family and slowly walking around the hall, discovered Saragan among the people watching the revised version of the hydraulic elevator.
Although she was dressed differently than when they met at the Grand Duke's castle, it was impossible to forget her face. As he approached, Saragan also recognized Rogero at a glance. He thought that she might run away, but her attitude when her eyes met Rogero's was calm. And then she said this.
'The sea is really wide.'
Franz, who heard Roger's story, couldn't hide his bewilderment, but in the end, he could only nod his head in dismay. He didn't know Saragan in detail, but he could understand that she had refused to marry him despite the troublesome situation. He thought she was a person who would do something like that.
“Oh, by the way.”
Rogero, who had changed the subject, handed Franz a square package.
“It’s a birthday present.”
“What are you talking about? You already gave me the gift.”
“Ah, that was something I gave to show it off to others, and this is a gift that I cannot show off to others.”
As he spoke, Rogero was somehow smiling slyly. Franz, who was looking around the package without unpacking it, narrowed his eyes. He said.
“I feel like I know without even trying.”
“What? You can’t use it if you have prejudices.”
Franz waved the package in front of Rogero's eyes.
“The shape, the weight. No matter how you look at it, it’s a book, but there’s no way you’d give me a good book. To be honest, it’s a pornographic novel that’s not even funny.”
“What? You don’t think it’s funny? I even waited in line to get this! It’s the latest work from the most popular author in the empire!”
Franz, who was pretending to be excited, looked at Rogero with cold eyes and opened the package as if he had no expectations. The cover looked good, but he laughed out loud as soon as he saw the title. Franz said.
“You gave me this as my first birthday present. I told Judith that you gave me a pornographic novel as a present.”
Rogero's eyes widened. Franz, seeing his reaction, laughed like a mischievous child.
“Didn’t you feel like Judith’s gaze toward you today seemed cold?”
“Hey, you traitor! Why are you saying that!”
Rogero, who had been screaming, pretended to cry and buried his head in his hands.
“What are you going to do with all the good impressions I’ve worked so hard to build? Ask me, you punk.”
“What do you want me to ask?”
Judith, who had returned while Rogero was muttering, asked. Rogero quickly cleared his throat and straightened his posture at her sudden appearance. Then, he kicked the leg of Franz’s chair with his foot as he was half out of breath from laughter.
“Your Majesty, why is Your Majesty doing this?”
“Well, I don’t know. He must have eaten a mad mushroom or something. Let’s just leave him alone and dance, Your Majesty.”
Judith looked down at Rogero’s hand that was naturally extended in front of her for a moment. When she smiled brightly and answered, “I will gladly,” Franz, who was holding his stomach and about to roll under the table, suddenly stood up.
“I’m going out too.”
“Franz, are you drunk?”
“I’m not drunk. Get out of the way, my wife.”
The two men who had been arguing finally took Judith's hand and led her to the center of the hall. There was no way that three people could dance, but they couldn't help but focus their attention. Judith, who had her hand held by two men, moved her gaze here and there and spoke.
“Can’t we just do them one at a time in order?”
“It’s too late, Your Majesty.”
“That’s right, it’s already too late.”
As soon as the two men finished speaking, brisk music began. It was a fast-tempo song that was not at all appropriate for a royal banquet. Judith’s feet seemed to float in the air, then she took a slid step.
At first, Judith was embarrassed and didn't know what to do, but as the song became more exciting, she also became excited. She leaned on Franz's shoulder, then faced Rogero and lightly overlapped their palms, then hugged Franz's arm again and spun around halfway. Judith, who was smiling happily, quickly turned around to look at Rogero.
“By the way, Your Highness, congratulations on becoming a father.”
Rogero smiled as he gently pushed her towards Franz while holding her hand.
"Thank you."
“What is the baby’s name?”
“It’s Rutilda. Rutilda Aslahil Matilis.”
Franz's mouth opened slightly as he turned back to back with Rogero, holding Judith in his arms.
“Is that your daughter?”
“Yes. ‘Aslahil’ means ‘lion’s daughter’ in that language. Lion’s daughter Rutilda. Doesn’t it suit her?”
“Your Highness the Prince’s nickname is the Green Field of the Empire, so you named her that?”
“It’s not necessarily like that. It’s just a name I gave her while thinking of her mother.”
More and more people began to join in on the excitement surrounding the three of them. Judith smiled faintly as she brushed hands with a noblewoman who was passing by.
The chandelier lights were scattered like sparkling shards at the feet of the people who were circling in a certain direction. A pleasant heat rose to her whole body, and her cheeks flushed. When the music ended, Judith was in Franz’s arms, one hand extended to Rogero.
“Next time you two come to Delacca, I’d like to introduce you then.”
Rogero, who had lightly kissed the ring, stepped aside first. Franz gently cupped Judith's cheek, kissed her forehead, and whispered.
“He’s secretly inviting us, and I don’t mean to live up to his expectations, but wouldn’t it be nice to go on a trip?”
“Ues. I guess I’ll have to surprise him with a bunch of gifts.”
“I should fill a chest with parenting books. It seems like that kid’s bookshelf is full of suspicious books.”
“Your Majesty, you haven’t read any parenting books, have you?”
“...Actually, I read it. Secretly. How many books?”
“You read so many different books without me knowing.”
Franz made another aggrieved expression. But as he led her back to the table, he had a headache trying to figure out how to put away the gift Rogero had given him earlier without it being noticed.
“Oh, I was trying to drink moderately. But Bartholomew keeps provoking me. Why is your knight commander so aggressive? He always wants to fight me.”
Franz couldn't help but laugh at his continued teasing. He said.
“Thank you for playing with Erwin all day today.”
“That guy, the more I look at him, the cuter he gets. Until last year, I thought he was just born, but today, when I saw him riding a wooden horse and swinging his sword, I couldn’t help but laugh. Do kids just grow up in the blink of an eye?”
Franz decided that now was the time to ask what he had been curious about. He turned to Rogero and sat down, his expression serious.
“Now that we’ve brought up the subject of children, do you have something to tell me? Tell me quickly. What you wrote in your letter. Suddenly, a baby? What do you mean?”
“I thought you were going to let it slide without asking, but you were holding back.”
Franz snorted as Rogero playfully stuck out his tongue. There is something else to get over, how can you get over something like this? As soon as he read the letter, he was furious unless he got the price he almost fell behind.
“I don’t know where to start and where to end my questions, so you explain it yourself.”
“Hmm... Well, if you ask me to explain, that’s all it says. I have a partner, and that person had a baby. That’s all.”
“I don’t understand the whole ‘living together’ thing. Does that make sense? So even after having a baby, you’re still officially single?”
"Yes."
He had guessed it, but it was shocking. Franz knew almost everything about Rogero's personality and his position in the Empire, but this was not a problem he could laugh off as usual. He was worried about Rogero, the person he was living with, and the child he was supposedly carrying.
“Who on earth is that person you’re living with? And what about that baby... What did the royal family decide to do about it?”
“Well, what can I do? I told her that we could get married if she wanted, but she refused. I heard that they are still discussing the baby.”
The tone of voice was calm as if it was someone else's business. Franz began to wonder more and more who that 'someone' was. What kind of person could she be, and what was she thinking, living with the imperial prince and not getting married even after having a child?
If a Prince or Princess, a member of the imperial family, had a child from someone other than their legally married spouse, that child could be included in the imperial genealogy.
However, there were many things he could not enjoy because he was not a legitimate heir, and depending on who was in power, he could be purged without any crime. It was the same for not only the Empire but also Rotair, so Franz could not help but be more concerned.
“Actually, that person...”
Rogero spoke again. His manner was strangely cautious, and Franz looked at him with suspicion. He knew from experience that whenever he spoke like this, something that would make Franz faint was waiting for him. Even if the situation was not that serious, it was not likely to be anything serious.
“Why did you stop talking? That’s not like you.”
“The person who lives with me is actually Saragan.”
There was a brief moment of silence. Franz could not immediately understand the name that was being given as if confessing some great wrongdoing. Just before the words, “Who is that?” came out of his lips, he unconsciously slammed the table.
“Was the daughter of the King of Hibs? The Saragan of the South?”
“Yeah, that one.”
Franz opened his mouth wide.
“Does that make sense? Where on earth did you meet? No, more importantly, you...”
“She came to the Empire. I think she was traveling around alone. Anyway, she didn’t come looking for me. It was just a coincidence that we met, but how did this happen?”
Are you going to call this an answer now? Franz looked at Rogero with a strangely frowning expression.
Rogero's awkward reunion with Saragan took place at a technology fair hosted by the Imperial Palace. Every year, Delacca's engineers would present their research at the fair. It was an event that everyone would work hard for, as the most popular research would be given a huge prize.
Rogero, who was attending as a representative of the royal family and slowly walking around the hall, discovered Saragan among the people watching the revised version of the hydraulic elevator.
Although she was dressed differently than when they met at the Grand Duke's castle, it was impossible to forget her face. As he approached, Saragan also recognized Rogero at a glance. He thought that she might run away, but her attitude when her eyes met Rogero's was calm. And then she said this.
'The sea is really wide.'
Franz, who heard Roger's story, couldn't hide his bewilderment, but in the end, he could only nod his head in dismay. He didn't know Saragan in detail, but he could understand that she had refused to marry him despite the troublesome situation. He thought she was a person who would do something like that.
“Oh, by the way.”
Rogero, who had changed the subject, handed Franz a square package.
“It’s a birthday present.”
“What are you talking about? You already gave me the gift.”
“Ah, that was something I gave to show it off to others, and this is a gift that I cannot show off to others.”
As he spoke, Rogero was somehow smiling slyly. Franz, who was looking around the package without unpacking it, narrowed his eyes. He said.
“I feel like I know without even trying.”
“What? You can’t use it if you have prejudices.”
Franz waved the package in front of Rogero's eyes.
“The shape, the weight. No matter how you look at it, it’s a book, but there’s no way you’d give me a good book. To be honest, it’s a pornographic novel that’s not even funny.”
“What? You don’t think it’s funny? I even waited in line to get this! It’s the latest work from the most popular author in the empire!”
Franz, who was pretending to be excited, looked at Rogero with cold eyes and opened the package as if he had no expectations. The cover looked good, but he laughed out loud as soon as he saw the title. Franz said.
“You gave me this as my first birthday present. I told Judith that you gave me a pornographic novel as a present.”
Rogero's eyes widened. Franz, seeing his reaction, laughed like a mischievous child.
“Didn’t you feel like Judith’s gaze toward you today seemed cold?”
“Hey, you traitor! Why are you saying that!”
Rogero, who had been screaming, pretended to cry and buried his head in his hands.
“What are you going to do with all the good impressions I’ve worked so hard to build? Ask me, you punk.”
“What do you want me to ask?”
Judith, who had returned while Rogero was muttering, asked. Rogero quickly cleared his throat and straightened his posture at her sudden appearance. Then, he kicked the leg of Franz’s chair with his foot as he was half out of breath from laughter.
“Your Majesty, why is Your Majesty doing this?”
“Well, I don’t know. He must have eaten a mad mushroom or something. Let’s just leave him alone and dance, Your Majesty.”
Judith looked down at Rogero’s hand that was naturally extended in front of her for a moment. When she smiled brightly and answered, “I will gladly,” Franz, who was holding his stomach and about to roll under the table, suddenly stood up.
“I’m going out too.”
“Franz, are you drunk?”
“I’m not drunk. Get out of the way, my wife.”
The two men who had been arguing finally took Judith's hand and led her to the center of the hall. There was no way that three people could dance, but they couldn't help but focus their attention. Judith, who had her hand held by two men, moved her gaze here and there and spoke.
“Can’t we just do them one at a time in order?”
“It’s too late, Your Majesty.”
“That’s right, it’s already too late.”
As soon as the two men finished speaking, brisk music began. It was a fast-tempo song that was not at all appropriate for a royal banquet. Judith’s feet seemed to float in the air, then she took a slid step.
At first, Judith was embarrassed and didn't know what to do, but as the song became more exciting, she also became excited. She leaned on Franz's shoulder, then faced Rogero and lightly overlapped their palms, then hugged Franz's arm again and spun around halfway. Judith, who was smiling happily, quickly turned around to look at Rogero.
“By the way, Your Highness, congratulations on becoming a father.”
Rogero smiled as he gently pushed her towards Franz while holding her hand.
"Thank you."
“What is the baby’s name?”
“It’s Rutilda. Rutilda Aslahil Matilis.”
Franz's mouth opened slightly as he turned back to back with Rogero, holding Judith in his arms.
“Is that your daughter?”
“Yes. ‘Aslahil’ means ‘lion’s daughter’ in that language. Lion’s daughter Rutilda. Doesn’t it suit her?”
“Your Highness the Prince’s nickname is the Green Field of the Empire, so you named her that?”
“It’s not necessarily like that. It’s just a name I gave her while thinking of her mother.”
More and more people began to join in on the excitement surrounding the three of them. Judith smiled faintly as she brushed hands with a noblewoman who was passing by.
The chandelier lights were scattered like sparkling shards at the feet of the people who were circling in a certain direction. A pleasant heat rose to her whole body, and her cheeks flushed. When the music ended, Judith was in Franz’s arms, one hand extended to Rogero.
“Next time you two come to Delacca, I’d like to introduce you then.”
Rogero, who had lightly kissed the ring, stepped aside first. Franz gently cupped Judith's cheek, kissed her forehead, and whispered.
“He’s secretly inviting us, and I don’t mean to live up to his expectations, but wouldn’t it be nice to go on a trip?”
“Ues. I guess I’ll have to surprise him with a bunch of gifts.”
“I should fill a chest with parenting books. It seems like that kid’s bookshelf is full of suspicious books.”
“Your Majesty, you haven’t read any parenting books, have you?”
“...Actually, I read it. Secretly. How many books?”
“You read so many different books without me knowing.”
Franz made another aggrieved expression. But as he led her back to the table, he had a headache trying to figure out how to put away the gift Rogero had given him earlier without it being noticed.
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