Chapter 282: What Is Hero Summoning? (2)

[A/N: Updated the character of Robin Marie, hype it up by adding popularity to it :D]

That was, of course, for a handshake, so I stepped forward, came up to Prime Minister Cromwell, and shook. It felt as if he was not wary enough of someone he had just met, but nobody else in the room reacted, so was this normal? Or had my background been checked, and they had judged there was no need for caution?

"Well, sit there."

I sat as invited. Looking around the room, I was surprised. Women were working in here too. In Marie Kingdom it was rare for men and women to share a workplace, but perhaps it was ordinary in this country?

"Hm. Has Ambassador Marie taken a liking to her?"

Prime Minister Cromwell asked out of nowhere. I had been staring blankly at a woman at work, and he had misunderstood.

"Ah, no. That is not it. I was surprised to see a woman working."

"Hahaha. That one works extremely well. She has more ability than an ordinary man, so I hired her. If you distinguish between men and women, the work does not advance. My creed is to use anyone who is useful, as many as I can. Even if Ambassador Marie has taken a liking to her, I cannot hand her over now. Wait another five years. By then a successor will have been found."

The Prime Minister spoke while stroking his chin.

"No. The embassy does not have much work, so even if someone that capable came, I would only have no use for her. I must decline."

The Prime Minister gave a little laugh.

"Did you hear that, Ellen? His Excellency the Ambassador says Ellen would be too much for him. You keep wanting to flee this workplace, and yet a post for you never quite gets decided, hahaha."

He roared with laughter. Ellen ignored the Prime Minister and kept working. She was surely used to conversations like this.

"Now then, I asked Ambassador Marie here because I wanted to thank you for letting me make a great profit on last night’s contest. First, let me say thank you. Thanks to you, House Cromwell is greatly enriched. A full year’s household expenses have been freed up, and there is still change left over. I am even thinking of giving the household a special allowance."

That was what the Prime Minister said. If you are thinking it, then do it, I thought, but I did not say so.

"That said, His Majesty apparently told you to do it again, but you may ignore that. If His Majesty inquires, answer that you are discussing it with me. That sort of thing cannot be done so easily, and to begin with the other party will not come forward. Asking a foreign Ambassador Marie for such a thing is unreasonable in itself. So if His Majesty says anything, you may tell him you have left it to me."

"Understood. I will do so. But if someone appears who says they want to fight me, what should I do?"

"If such a person appears, toss that to me as well. I will probably end up as the bookmaker again anyway. Then I will have to be involved. That said, next time Ambassador Marie’s odds will drop sharply. This time everyone around me bet on Count von Kirchhoff. Meaning they all had no eye for it. Only three women had any eye at all."

Someone gave a bitter smile at the Prime Minister’s words. So that one had bet on Count von Kirchhoff.

"Anyone who challenges Ambassador Marie is either an unusual hobbyist or an overconfident great fool, I think. Among those who watched yesterday’s contest, I do not think anyone will apply."

The Prime Minister said that while glaring at my face. Being glared at with those large eyes was frightening.

"Forgive the suddenness, but has Ambassador Marie any mind to take a royal princess as a wife?"

the Prime Minister said. It was so abrupt my head swam. I did not think a low-pressure front was approaching.

"Ambassador Marie is the eleventh prince, yes? Then why not take a wife from Mainz Kingdom royalty and become a member of this country’s royal house? You can hardly expect to sit the throne in Marie Kingdom anyway. Being royalty in this country is not a bad offer, is it?"

He piled it on. Wanting me to become royalty... did he have something in mind?

"It is a generous offer, but I intend to return to my country. If I may take a princess of this country home as my wife, then I would marry her?"

I tried refusing, at least for form. A man who flew into a rage that easily would not last as Prime Minister, I thought.

"Hmph." The Prime Minister frowned a little.

"Is that so? I wanted to pull Ambassador Marie into this country, but it was impossible? The Duke of Vélez’s daughter is fifteen, I believe. I thought the match would be well balanced, but no?"

This Prime Minister talked one-sidedly no matter what. The volume of words was high!

"No, no. A young lady of the Duke of Vélez is far above me. If talk like that is heard, I believe the Duke of Vélez will be furious, so I ask that you not say it."

I meant it as a gentle refusal, but the Prime Minister said,

"I see. You do not want that idiot duke as a father-in-law. Well, that is understandable. If I had a daughter of age I would marry her to you, but unfortunately I do not. Think nothing of it. I meant to marry you off and, if something happened in Marie Kingdom, push you in as a candidate for the throne. If Ambassador Marie will not take the offer, there is no helping it. But will you consider it? For as long as I am Prime Minister, I will make it happen."

No. What a frightening thing to say. I do not want to call that duke father-in-law, and I do not want to call you father-in-law either. I do not want to call you father-in-law.