Chapter 190: I Wonder How Robin-sama Is Doing?

"By the way, how far has Robin-sama gone?"

At the Queen’s question,

"I believe he is still inside the country. He may even still be near the capital. Prince Robin was quite a favorite of the Queen’s, wasn’t he? I never imagined you would take such a liking to him."

Richelieu answered.

"Yes. At first I thought him a strange child and was merely observing, but once I spent time with him he turned out to be quite interesting in various ways."

She could not say that he had given her the youth-rejuvenating medicine.

"The Queen even went to restaurants in the Commoner District with Prince Robin three times."

"Yes. All of them were more delicious than I had imagined, and I spent enjoyable times."

"Thanks to that, Cantoner has lost all his hair."

"My condolences."

The Queen said it with a face that showed not the slightest sympathy.

"Come to think of it, the old lord of the Anderson Ducal House also took quite a liking to Prince Robin, did he not?"

At the Queen’s words Richelieu looked surprised.

"Oh? That difficult old man? Why is that?"

"Apparently Prince Robin happened to pass in front of the mansion and met him. At that time the people of the ducal house, not knowing he was Prince Robin, tried to intimidate him. He calmly brushed it aside. The old lord saw that and took a liking to him. The other day the old lord came to me and negotiated to have him brought back from the Mainz Kingdom as soon as possible. Apparently he intends to make him the husband of Lady Annie."

"Annie?"

Richelieu did not know who that was.

"The Third Princess, Lady Annie. She is currently ten years old, is she not?"

Taught by the Queen, Richelieu said,

"Ah, the old lord’s granddaughter. If he has taken such a liking to him, it would have been good to send her along when Robin-sama went to the Mainz Kingdom this time."

The Queen laughed "hohoho" and said,

"He seems to dislike sending his granddaughter far away. He wants to keep her close no matter what. He said he wants to bring Prince Robin back to the kingdom and then have them marry."

Hearing that, Richelieu said in exasperation,

"What a convenient story. Well, I also want to bring Robin-sama back quickly, so I shall make efforts to that end."

"Yes. We must have him return quickly and work for this country."

"That said, Robin-sama said he wanted to live quietly in the countryside."

Richelieu recalled the time he had spoken with Robin.

"Indeed. I have heard that as well. But I cannot believe he truly thinks such a thing."

The Queen tilted her head and continued.

"Everything Robin-sama says is surely his true feelings. At first I also doubted, but at a certain point I became certain. That this person speaks only from the heart."

At the Queen’s words Richelieu asked in surprise,

"Hoh, when was that? At what moment?"

"That is a secret."

The Queen smiled "ufufun."

She could not say that it was when she had drunk the semen directly. At that time something had flowed into her together with the semen. And she had become certain that this child had told her no lies and spoken only his true feelings. If their bodies were connected, she might understand even deeper things. But by the time Prince Robin returned to the kingdom she would already be an old woman, she mocked herself. How long would the medicine’s effect last? Would it be possible to go see Robin-sama under the pretext of visiting her younger sister once? But if she did that, simply drinking with her mouth might not be enough? No, if that happened the brakes would stop working. I mustn’t think such things. How embarrassing — past forty and crazy about a ten-year-old boy.

The Queen had sunk into her own world.

"A secret? Then that is fine. Your Majesty, quite some time has passed. Shall we end it for now?"

Richelieu saw that the Queen seemed to be thinking of something, but since she said nothing even when he waited, he brought the conversation to a close.

"Oh, I’m sorry. I have taken up Richelieu’s valuable time."

Looking at the Queen whose face was somehow flushed, Richelieu thought with a strange feeling that this was surely something he must not ask about.

"Your Majesty, I will do everything in my power, but nothing humans do is ever perfect. Recently people from the Empire seem to have entered. I think it unlikely, but if they are connected to 3 it may roll in a bad direction. Please be extremely careful."

Richelieu bowed his head.

"Understood. I will keep it in mind. The only thing I can do is hold my breath inside the Rear Palace."

The Queen also smiled and stood up.

Around the same time, the Third Prince Maxim had gathered his close aides and was holding a meeting. Among them were mixed people who clearly did not look like Marie Kingdom subjects.

Maxim opened his mouth.

"How is it? Are the preparations proceeding smoothly?"

"Everything is proceeding smoothly!"

A decisive voice rose.

It is a strange thing, but there is a theory that when the top or someone close to the top becomes convinced that "it is absolutely possible" regarding a theme that 99% of people think "that is impossible," and pulls the group with great heat and forceful methods, the group’s heat gradually rises and advances toward destruction.

That the person who advanced the project, when it fails, will push responsibility onto those around him with "Whose fault is this!?" is also an event that always occurs. And around this Maxim as well, an enormous amount of heat was swirling; points that were not going well did not enter their eyes, and points that were advancing a little better were overestimated — everyone was wearing colored glasses.

The only one not wearing colored glasses was a single person,

"Idiots. There’s no way this kind of talk will succeed. It’s about time I returned to the Empire,"

muttered by the person from the Empire.

"Then tomorrow night we shall raise the flag and seize power with our own hands!!"

"Ou!!"

Voices of agreement rose from those around Maxim at his call.

"Lord Maxim, with this we can seize the entire Royal Palace and Rear Palace, but what shall we do about Prince Robin, who has already departed as ambassador to the Mainz Kingdom?"

One of the close aides asked Maxim.

"Prince Robin? Come to think of it, that’s right. Has that guy already left? To go without even greeting me. I thought he was an insolent fellow, but does he not even know manners and think he will be useful in the Mainz Kingdom! Leave someone like that alone!"

Maxim said, and the aide replied,

"Even if you say that, if Prince Robin goes to the Mainz Kingdom, obtains the patronage of the Mainz Kingdom, and returns, will it not become troublesome?"

"That’s true. However, it won’t proceed that quickly, so he probably hasn’t crossed the border yet. I would like to capture him and drag him back to the capital, but it would be foolish to specifically allocate forces for Robin’s sake. What should we do?"

To Maxim’s question the close aides did not offer opinions. From their perspective, the troops should be concentrated in the capital, and there was no surplus to send toward Robin. Even if troops were to be dispatched, if they themselves were named as the captain of that unit they would lose the stage on which to play an active role in the capital.

At that moment,

"I shall take on that duty!"

The person from the Empire raised his hand. The gazes of those present gathered.

"All of you must accomplish the enterprise in the capital. I am merely a behind-the-scenes person, and work of this kind is precisely suited to me."

When he spoke, the close aides all exhaled as if relieved. Maxim, who had obtained what he desired, cried,

"Is that so! If you go, it will be perfect! I leave it to you!!"

The person from the Empire smiled inwardly.

With this a just cause for leaving the capital had been created. Let us begin preparations at once. First I must gather the subordinates scattered throughout the capital. I do not know the road to the Mainz Kingdom, but it will somehow work out. Once Prince Robin is captured, there is no need to bring him to the capital. I need only take him back as a souvenir when returning to the imperial capital. He will make a convenient hostage. Even if Maxim fails, I can raise Robin, invade the Marie Kingdom, make him a puppet king, and have him move according to the Empire’s will. This is becoming interesting. Let us give the people of the Marie Kingdom, who have grown soft with peace, one or two bitter experiences!

Maxim’s meeting ended, and each left the room to do his own work. The person from the Empire had to monitor Maxim until just before the uprising so that he would not waver. For that reason his departure would be later than that of the margrave’s messenger.