"What kind of bet? More importantly. Could it be that he resembles me, not Nike?"
My brother-in-law, who had been listening to our conversation, chimed in.
I smiled as I turned to look at the Crown Prince—my husband's older brother, a handsome man who looked exactly like him.
"You two are brothers, after all. So, he could possibly resemble my husband, right?"
"Yes."
We are currently in the room of His Highness the Second Imperial Grandson, Matthias Valencier, who is one month old.
Just like with the First Imperial Grandson, Nike and I live for the joy of coming here whenever we have a spare moment to watch the scurrying newborn baby.
"It looks like you two spend more time looking at the baby's face than the parents do."
Honestly, that is true.
Matthias must have seen my face constantly going in and out of the baby's room, more often than his mother, who is recovering.
"Nike, you go to work now, and the Princess goes back to your room."
"Oh my! Brother-in-law~~ It's only been 20 minutes since we arrived!"
The heartless Crown Prince snatched Matthias from my embrace and, with a beaming smile, issued a command.
"Stop clinging to my son, and now you two should start making plans for children!"
***
"When are you getting off work today?"
As I saw Nike off to work at the Knights, I asked with expectant eyes.
"I can't go home today."
“Hmph.”
"I have a training camp. This time it will take about a week."
"So?!"
There have already been five of those damn field training exercises recently, where Nike gathers only the Imperial elite knights to go.
He said he was going here and there, and each time he went, he was away from home for at least three days to a maximum of about a week.
"Why do you go to training so often?"
"Why? Because I can't go to the Imperial Palace every day anymore."
That is true. After all, we were about to move out, a process we had been dragging on for so long.
The estate I had carefully chosen, named 'Zebert,' was going to become our new home.
If we move our residence to the Grand Duchy of Zebert, which is a two-day carriage ride from the capital, Nike won't be able to go to the Imperial Palace every day like he does now...
"I have to make sure the handover is done properly."
Right, I was told that's the reason for the training camp.
Honestly, I don't know why we have to go out of our way to train by taking leave and moving locations.
"...Where are you going this time?"
“Schwirs.”
“Can’t I go?”
"..."
Nike frowned slightly and asked back.
“Why all of a sudden?”
"It’s not that it’s sudden, but the training schedule is ridiculous. Honey, you remember returning from Gedek two days ago, right? And now you’re leaving for training again in just two days? Are you going on a continental tour or something?"
“It’s work.”
"It's not an urgent matter, is it?"
“It’s urgent.”
"It’s not like anyone told you to, and since you’re the one planning the schedule, how many times have you already left me home alone like this..."
"I'm sorry, but I still need to wrap things up properly. I'll be done soon, so please bear with me a little."
"Yes."
I eventually took a step back.
"Then could you postpone it by just one day? Can't we leave tomorrow?"
"That won't do. The knights going with me have their own schedules."
"You could ask for a day or so. Couldn't you do that for my sake?"
“Why do you have something today?”
"..."
Nike became a little strange.
In the past, he was the kind of man who would agree without question if I asked him to be with me today.
Right now, he seems annoyed by our long conversation, perhaps because he is worried that his training might be delayed.
“I have something to tell you.”
"...?"
Nike tilted his head.
“You can do it now.”
"It’s a bit difficult right now. Can’t we have a cozy conversation just the two of us this evening?"
"What are you trying to say? Is there a problem?"
"There's no problem, and it's not like we're in a hurry. I just want to talk in a calm atmosphere. I'll even bake some delicious bread for you myself!"
"..."
Nike, blinking his eyes in thought for a moment, asked as if he were at a loss.
"Can't we just do it now?"
"What? You can't even spare a single day for me?"
"..."
Nike's lips were all tinged.
Then, after a while, he spoke.
"I'm sorry. It's a really urgent matter."
***
Sigh!
The cake baked since dawn was thrown into the trash can.
Kali looked in surprise at Vania, who was throwing away the cake she had worked hard to make despite her clumsy skills.
"Are you angry at me for something?"
Kali, who had been silently watching Vania trudge toward the bed and lie down, approached the trash can.
She saw a cake that was miserably crushed.
"Something feels off. For some reason, whenever I bring up training, he seems to avoid the topic, and he acts so firm toward me."
"..."
"What is it? It's clear he has a complaint."
Vania, who had been tilting her head, flinched and said.
"Could it be because I haven't been trying to do it lately?"
“What are you talking about?”
Kali immediately got angry.
"It feels a bit awkward. I want to, but if you say let's just sleep because I'm tired today..."
"You're not an animal; if your wife says she's tired, you just have to accept it."
"I'm saying this because that kind of excuse wasn't a one-time thing."
Kali was furious.
Because of Vania, who is blaming herself for Nike not giving a clear reason for sulking, Nike is presumed to be upset.
Does that make sense? Getting upset just because you refused marital relations?
"Is His Royal Highness the Prince to that extent of being mad with lust?"
"Hmm, he's not quite crazy, but he is a bit intense."
"..."
Kali swallowed her anger and closed her eyes tightly.
Nike probably isn't leaving for frequent training for the reason Vania is worried about.
Kali was aware of Nike's schedule, who had been strangely away from home lately, and because of that, there was one thing she was suspicious of.
“Your Highness.”
"Yes."
"If you don't plan to go out today, may I go out for a bit?"
“Where are you going?”
"I'm feeling a bit stifled. I'm thinking of going out for some fresh air. I was hoping you could give me a few days off."
"...?"
***
Capital, Valen.
Two men were sitting at a cafe table in the middle of the city.
"Honestly, you know that's a ridiculous suspicion, Kali?"
"But I have to check."
One was Max, disguised with a clumsy mustache, and the other was Kali, dressed up like a man.
"If you have returned from the Gedek Territory, you must pass through the northwest entrance to return to the capital. Before that, the Cruiser Territory as well. And before that, the Dunst Territory is to the north, and the Stolz Territory is to the south."
Kali muttered, her eyes flashing.
It was all Nike's record of returning from field training.
"However, all the entry and exit records are only at the Southeast Gate. This means they either didn't go to the training, or even if they did, they lied about their location to Her Highness."
"How can you be so certain that His Royal Highness the Prince has been running around doing foolish things based on just that? He might have taken a different route because something came up briefly after training."
"Are you kidding me? Why go all the way around to the South Gate when the North Gate is perfectly fine? It would be one thing if it were just once. But doing it multiple times like that?"
"..."
"There is no room for thought otherwise. His Royal Highness the Prince went out as a spy to a certain location in the southeast during every training schedule. Ah."
Kali, who had been quietly lowering the newspaper covering her face, gestured to Nike with her chin, looking angry.
Nike, who left saying he was going for training, is now standing in front of a flower shop in the capital.
With the unofficial carriage parked.
"Why is the person who said they were going to Schwirs for training here? Since when did Schwirs become a flower shop?"
"Isn't the flower shop's name Schwirs?"
"Don't play word games if you don't want to die. I'm pissed off right now."
The name was the same, and a flower shop girl appeared.
The flower shop girl greeted Nike, who was waiting outside, with a bright smile.
...She is a beauty.
Kali, enraged, immediately put her hands into her bosom.
Max grabbed it in a panic.
"Hey! Is it okay to just draw your sword out of nowhere? Calm down!"
“Explain.”
"Now, the Third Prince, the ultimate romantic, tells a 'lie' to his wife and shows up at a 'flower shop' of all places? Anyone can see that he is preparing a surprise event for his beloved wife, right?"
“Haaaaa.”
At Max's explanation, Kali's anger, which had risen to the top of her head, completely subsided.
That is why she brought Max.
She was worried that she might lose her reason over a small misunderstanding and start wielding a sword against the royal family, so she wanted to ask someone to stop her.
Actually...
No matter how peculiar his actions may be, Nike Valencier is a person whom one cannot possibly suspect in this regard.
A man who has done everything for love, even selling his country and risking his life; a man who would leave behind only his love for Vania even if everything in the world vanished.
A man like that, looking away after only three years of marriage?
It doesn't make sense.
No matter how suspicious his actions are, there is a 99% chance it is a misunderstanding; there must have been unavoidable circumstances that forced him to lie to Vania.
Kali also started this tailing with that assumption in mind.
"Now, look. Now, he's going to buy a bouquet of flowers here and go back..."
Max's voice, which had been speaking confidently, faded away.
Kali turned her head, following Max's surprised gaze, and saw.
The flower shop girl getting into the carriage after a brief conversation, and Nike following her into the carriage.
"Try calling giving a flower shop girl a ride in a carriage an event."
Kali gritted her teeth and muttered.
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